Letters From Hell
by snekochan
Summary: Sometimes, even those whose hearts harbour love, kindness and the desire to protect are given the harshest of treatments, earned or not. Luckily for Chrono, Rosette Christopher is ready to break down the walls of Heaven and Hell to get him back. RxC
1. The Crossroads

A/n: This story is dedicated to PaCT who requested that I write this story asap. Therefore, here it is- the second of my potential Chrono Crusade sequels. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chrono Crusade.

Letters From Hell.

_Dear Rosette, letter 1_

_How are you? Did you make it to heaven all right? Are you comfortable? Is it really full of fluffy white clouds? Are your parents there? It feels strange not to wake up and feel you yank on my hair, or hit me over the head, or something of that sort. Truth be told, I miss it! Funny, hey. Here… let's just say it's nothing like EITHER of us imagined! This isn't like pandemonium at all. It's cold! Freezing, just like in my dream…oh. I didn't tell you about that dream. It was the night Satella didn't want us to go to the convent in Chicago, right before San Francisco. I don't remember much about it, except that it was cold, and I was willing to do anything to get out of there. I wasn't thinking straight, and I almost rejoined Aion again, because it seemed to be warmer. You saved me that time, just like you saved me from the darkness- with your voice and your warmth. You grabbed me and pulled me back. When I woke up, there you were. At first, I thought you were Mary, because your hair was floating in a halo around your face, and it reminded me of the time after Mary and I fell from Eden. Perhaps in a way, for us it was the same, because soon after that, I nearly killed you…and did cause the deaths of numerous people. I wish… I wish I hadn't lost control that day. If any of the people from that day are there…could you tell them I'm sorry? That I… well, there really isn't a way to rectify killing someone, even by accident. It's unacceptable. But then, I'm a demon. I suppose it could be said that I'm unacceptable. That's why I'm here. _

_Rosette, do remember that brick I had received that day? Well, what happens is you go down the tunnel, until you come to the end of the bricks. Then you add yours. But I noticed something when I bent down to add mine. All the bricks had words on them. Mine said kind hearted. The one next to it said protective. Above: generous. I guess the saying is true; the road to hell really is paved with good intentions. Kind of depressing really, but hey, I suppose you have to get there somehow, right? _

_I wish I could see you. I miss you more than I thought possible…but I hope you're happy. I pray you're happy. You deserve to be, Rosette._

_With love_

_Chrono the Sinner_

----------------------------------------Chapter one------------------------------------------------------------------------

After travelling for what felt like eternity to the passengers, the train stopped and the doors slid open, releasing them in waves and droves to wash into the station and lap about its sides in skirts and scuffed shoe.

She stopped, craning her neck to study the mosaic spread across the ceiling in dark shadows and angelic wings, silver feathers and large blue eyes. The entire image stretched across the domed ceiling, stopping when it reached the massive supporting pillars, huge stone angels with their wings splayed, their hands over their heads to support the mosaic.

"Impressive." the woman whispered, shivering as she looked at the stone faces. "But are they statues or-"

"Newly Deads! Newly Deads this way!" a shriveled man with graying hair scooted past them, flailing a staff as he barreled towards a set of heavy wooden doors. "Newly Deads this way!"

"They're statues." she breathed a sigh of relief as her companion came up behind her. "None of them are time frozen. Let's go." they joined the river of people trickling through the huge doors at the end. As each exited, the shriveled man handed each a narrow, mahogany box.

"It's what you open when you reach the cross roads. Good luck, friends." The man grated, baring his teeth in a grin. She nodded, fingering the thin box as they headed up the road, winding its way up the mountain.

"So what happens now?" she asked, glancing up at her partner, whose face had darkened.

"I assume we keep going until we reach the crossroads, like he said."

"The cross roads?" the woman frowned, but even as she spoke, she spotted the landmark up ahead. Here, the paths diverged, one heading on towards the top of the mountain, the other heading down into a gaping hole. She hesitated as she opened her box. "Do you think Rosette…" she swallowed, for they'd reached the crossroad and they cracked the seals on their gifts. In each was a small charm, a ring with a pair of wings. Beside them, a man opened his. Inside, there was a small brick, about the length of her thumb. Instantly, a howl filled the air and chains whistled out from the downward road, latching on and dragging him down. The woman jumped back, heart pounding. Her partner squeezed her shoulder and she forced herself to breath.

"Easy. We're almost there." he took her hand and led her towards the uphill path and towards the gate that shone faintly at the top.

"Wait!" A chill hurled down her spine at the voice.

"Keep going." he warned, glancing back.

"Please wait!" She was jerked to a halt as he did, for his hand on her shoulder, like the rest of him, had frozen. Slowly, she turned to the source of the sobbing cry.

She frowned. "Don't go back there, it's got to be a trick." she warned, but his eyes were latched onto the cloaked figure slumped at the other road. Rolling her eyes, she trailed after the ex-priest until they were both standing a few feet from the figure. It rose to its feet, trembling.

"Please." it whispered, and suddenly, her heart clenched, for the voice was achingly familiar…or it had been fifty odd years ago, and now there was something else in there. Something that made her shiver and her heart pound at the sense of things seen that shouldn't be seen. Ever.

"Chrono." Ewan Remington stared at the demon, completely covered by the billowing black cloak, from head to foot. The demon bowed low, returning to his knees at their feet.

"Please sir, miss," he bent his head low, and a strand of violet hair slipped from beneath the hood shadowing his face. "Will you take this?" a bone thin hand slipped free of the cloak, pushing something towards them. Ewan stooped, reaching for the thin envelope. From the dark pit behind him, a bell was tolling, and a smell, dank and dripping with fear and blood wafted up. The figure shuddered as a howl filled the tunnel, a screaming wind. "Please deliver this!" he choked, leaping up and shoving the small rectangle of paper forward, wheezing as one foot slipped from the shadows of the tunnel floor, paved with tiny, thumb length bricks. "Aug!" he staggered back as the tolling grew louder and a clanking sound filled roared from below, screams, howls. "Go! Hurry!" The demon warned. "You won't… you-" as they had for the man earlier, chains swept up from below in a plume of howling wind, looping around the demon. He slumped, offering no resistance as he was dragged back below. She gasped, her hand immediately reaching out to make a grab for the tail ends of the cloak, but they vanished.

"Hell?" she whispered, her heart sinking. She bowed her head, a prayer slipping from her lips.

"Come." Ewan seemed as shaken as she. They were the last people standing on the road. He grabbed her hand. "Come on!" they ran the rest of the way up to the huge glimmering gates, presenting their rings. As the door opened, she glanced down at letter clenched in Ewan's fist, for the first time, she noticed the name inscribed in neat writing on the front…

_Rosette Christopher_.

Before them, the doors creaked open, burning their eyes with brilliant purity.

Suddenly, Sister Kate Valentine of the Magdalene order wasn't so sure of what she'd spent her entire life fighting for. If her Lord couldn't forgive a demon who had fought against his own people to protect humans then... before she could wonder again, the doors shut behind them, the clang thundering through the huge city that rose into the sky above.

----------------------------------------end chapter one----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. HellBound

Letters From Hell.

Chapter 2: Hell-Bound

_Letter# 2, Dear Rosette,_

_Do you remember the way the wind used to moan in the monastery? How it used to hiss and cry? How we said it sounded wounded? It sounded jubilant. Here, the wind screams cold and wailing, through every corridor, cave and cranny. It never, ever ceases and you're almost always walking into it. It rattles, howling death through every grain of you're being, until you can't remember any other sound, until you don't even bother trying to talk over it, until your soul is eroded into dust and whisked away in a reeking dieing wheeze. Was there a time without screaming wind? Was there? I can't remember anymore, everything's so faded. I think I'm going insane. I won't be the first if I am. Really, it's the only sanctuary. I miss you. I think the only reason __**I'm**__ not a raving idiot by this point is you. These letters are __**my**__ sanctuary, letting me cling, however temporarily to you. __Of course, knowing my luck, you probably don't get them, and all the Heaven Guard's are getting a good laugh. I don't care. So long as there's a chance you're getting this paper, even if you don't read it, it's a connection of sorts, and that's enough to keep me going.__ Sorry for whining again. _

_My Heart Forever Yours,_

_Chrono the Sinner _

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The sky above them glittered, swirling, a vibrant dusk blue, but before that…

"What on earth!"

"Not on earth." Ewan too was gaping up, up, up, the letter forgotten in his fingers.

The sky above was dusk blue, but the city was glowing in citrus sunset: oranges, yellows, golden reds. Huge stone towers leapt to touch the sky, the moon, the tittering stars. Each tower stretched its finger to the sky, twining higher and higher, held together by hundreds of thousands of arching, lacy bridges, shining and shining and shining as blazing sunlight glanced off a billion stained-glass windows.

Kate squinted as little birds flitted from bridge to bridge, tower to tower, cast golden like the city. One honey coloured bird heading for a cylindrical tower with a domed top swung around, shooting back over the city towards the crowd of Newly Dead passengers who were huddled about the gate.

It was huge.

It wasn't a bird.

"Welcome to Heaven." Kate gasped as the angel lit before them, curtsying, her loose curls tumbling over her shoulders. "You have all returned home."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"And stay down there, bastard!" The sound of grating metal against frozen stone didn't pause or miss a beat as the guard threw the demon back into the stope, and stalked back to his post. "Pathetic Hell-spawn." A human, stretched and lanky like a sun starved willow, waited until the guard had gone before raising a pale brow at the demon. "Went that well did it? That's going to leave a nice one." The demon grunted in response, staggering up and catching the pick a second, brawnier human tossed him.

"I suspect he's aware of that." A small woman padded over, tapping the lanky human's pick with her shovel before turning to the demon. "You hurt- oh not again!" The demon didn't look at her as she fussed over his shoulder, instead jarring his gaunt frame with a hefty strike to the frosty wall.

"No b'y Uma, he's dandy. He only got his flipping eye bashed in."

"Men." The woman sighed, stepping away back to her portion on the other side of the man who'd tossed the pick. " 'Scuse me Ivan." The brute shrugged.

G-tink. G-tink. G-tink. Clang. G-tink.

"Anyway, more importantly, did your sweetheart get her love note?" The lanky man's mouth stretched into a loose grin.

"_Marty_!"

"Oh lay off, you want to know too Uma!" He could feel them, Uma, Marty, Ivan, looking expectantly at him, and he ignored them, the thin piece of paper tucked against his dripping side a burning reminder. He pressed his lips together.

Chrono the Sinner closed his eyes and jerked his head, left, right: no; stared at the ground. He knew what he'd see beyond dank red rock. He heard it as they turned back, silent, to their work.

He hacked at the wall again.

G-tink. The sounds echoed like the other strikes around them, over and over and over, the scraping picks screeching their call to join the wind that screamed, remorselessly, unceasing through the caverns. His ears rang, bleeding the sound as it swooped through the putrid corridors, blowing and blowing until it blew them all away; howling into every corner and cranny until there was nowhere to avoid it, no time it hadn't ground itself into your head, rattling every thought and feeling you ever had and ripping them away like so many fallen leaves. Like so many broken dreams.

He'd failed, yet again.

G-tink. G-tink. G-tink.

Failed, failed, failed.

"Nobody stopped." He croaked finally, throat still raw from calling. Calling and calling and calling. "Not one." He stopped, leaning on his pick, his chest jerking uneven with gasps that once would've been wet. Instead, he wiped sweat from his face, shouldering his pick as the gong echoed through them, their shift over. A few hours reprise before they descended back into the shaft.

"Aw, come on. You probably just got a bunch of snot-nosed school kids who died in a bus crash! Someone will take it next time!" Marty grinned, bounding backward ahead of the group, his long blonde bangs flopping over his face. "C'mon, you got them up top before! Why should now be any different?"

"Comrades, we cannot let this continue!" Uma stopped as they stumbled into the half-light of the cafeteria, her large eyes narrowing.

"That's why." Across the long, low cavern and fog of smoke and frosty breath, a man stood on the squat stone stage, his voice ringing through the room.

"For thousands of years, friends, we have been cursed: waiting in shadows as in the lands above, the angels, the righteous, the _worthy_ pass their days in leisure and sunlight! Now, friends, who are the worthy? The good and the kind? Those who are "good and Kind"- no one is "good", they disobey their own law! They have done wrong, for no one can live without doing so. The "Just". "Is it "just" to leave us here? Withering to dust in the howls of souls? What about the honest? Is it wrong to shield some from the pain of the truth? "Enemies", "Murderers", "Thieves", "Oppressors", all these terms are a matter of dates! A few days later or before and we would be considered "Heroes", "Defenders of Justice", "Liberators"! Why should we be punished for dates, when we have no control over time? Is that just I ask you? Is it?

"By hiding us away, are they not destroying our hopes? Killing our souls? Does that not make THEM the murderers? Are they not, by forcing us into this hole, these tunnels, oppressing us? Does that not make THEM the oppressors? Aren't they, by not allowing us freedom, stealing that right from us? That then, fellow Hell-Bound, makes THEM the thieves! Yet it is WE who are in Hell! We, who are victims of nothing less then time! I ask you, is that right? Is that just?!" Alexander Delacroix raised his hands as the Hellions cheered, stomping on the low stone tables that lined the room. "We deserve life after death as much as they! Let us live! Life after Death!"

"Life after Death! Life after Death!" Around the room, Hellions in various stages of dining yelled the refrain.

"Ug." Uma rolled her eyes and stomped over to the line up for the canteen, red hair bouncing. "You'd think they could control themselves."

"Oh, because you just love it down here too, don't you." Marty grumbled, the group traipsing after her. "Oh yes, I just love this cool temperature, it's _such_ a saviour for my skin!"

"Can it Marty!" Uma glared at him, her cheeks a heavy red.

"Life after Death! Life after Death!" The cheering was growing into a frenzy. Chrono cast a quick glance at the Heaven Guard, the Red-robed angels sent below to keep the Hellions from getting out of hand. One, the black haired one who'd thrown him back into the tunnels earlier, grinned, raising a cup in mock salute as he returned to laughing with the other guards and Alexander, lounging against the wall and guzzling wine. He could smell it; they'd been at it awhile. Swallowing, he turned away, stumbling as the floor shook, feet on shale and mud, palms slapping on limestone and flesh.

"Life after Death! Life after Death!" His ears rang as a gust of wind carried the words around the cavern.

"Life after Death, Life after Death, Life after Death!"

"I'm going to bed." Chrono shivered, nudging Marty's shoulder. Uma's face darkened and she dodged around Ivan's broad form to catch the demon's arm.

"Chrono, you need to eat something today." Chrono paused, glancing from under shaggy bangs to peer from Uma to Marty and Ivan, two identical pictures of exasperation and arms-folded concern if you excused the size difference: Marty barely reached Ivan's shoulder. Hell, _he_ barely reached Ivan's shoulder! Uma smiled encouragingly, as bright as ever, even here.

"Life after death! Life after death!"

He couldn't listen to this.

"I'm going to bed." He shrugged her off, skirting the stomping, shouting, screaming Hell-bound and ducking into the tunnels leading to the sleeping chambers. Behind him, he could still hear it, rattling in the wind: "Life after Death! Life after death! Life after Death!" Heart sloshing about in his chest, he blocked it out, ragged nails biting palms grown wide and rough and red from stone and wooden handles.

How long had it been? Since they'd died? The letter at his side crackled. He knew if he looked it would say #98 in his own neat hand writing across the top, a death sentence in his own words. Maybe that was the reason they'd allowed him to have the letters. Rosette probably didn't get them. It was probably to build false hope.

He still wrote. Everyday. He didn't send them all. He edited. He edited the parts that were about fears. Anything about darkness. Anything he'd written on _those_ nights, the nights he couldn't think straight, the one's when his words came jumbled and fast between hard coughs and the splatter of blood on stone. He edited, but he wrote. He wondered, as always, what she was doing, how she was doing, had she gotten in trouble as frequently as he? Did she have friends? He hoped so, because even he'd managed that, it hadn't even taken him that long, what with Uma being so persistent and Marty's goofing around. Ivan just sort of appeared and whether he'd planned to or not, he was included. The same went for Tzi, when she was around. If Rosette was getting the letters, she'd know them pretty well by now, he talked about them often enough. But tonight-

"How's the East branch? Are any of them almost through?" Chrono jumped, cramming himself into the nearest alcove as two guards stumble past, reeking of alcohol and shadow-stained sunlight.

"The West bank face, yes. About damn time too. Still waiting on the Eastern cavern." His captor from earlier, the first guard who'd spoken, belched and the other chuckled, patting him on the head as he relieved himself on the tunnel wall. "Oy, Lucky, yer sloshed. Don't let God hear yeh talkin' like that."

"Beh!" Lucky slurred, failing a thin hand. "Won' matter soon anyway. Once them bastards kick the dirt outta them tunnels, we won' have to listen t' anyone." Chrono held his breath, leaning in as close as he dared. The _Heaven's_ _Guard_ were…

"Yes, well, just don't lay out too fast, or we'll be caught. Then_ we_ git tossed down here without a return ticket." They turned a corner, still swaying, Lucky's voice meandering into the air as he yowled a song. Slowly, their footsteps died off and another gong shook the floor as the next round of Hellions made for the lower tunnels.

Tunnels through to where? Chrono sank to the floor, wincing as his back brushed stone. He'd never questioned the tunnels, where they were going. Well, he had asked, once, but he hadn't gotten an answer, so he'd just assumed they were something to keep the Hell-bound occupied, or to make more room. The tunnels went every where- he'd been living in them for ages, and he still didn't know where any beyond the basic one's went. So…the Heaven's Guard knew where the new branches went- why would they know? Why would they want too? He shifted further into the little cave as hundreds of noisy bodies pressed through the narrow passage.

"Life after Death!" They were still yelling Delacroix's –

_"We deserve life after death as much as they! Let us live! Life after Death!"_

_"Aren't they, by not allowing us freedom, stealing that right from us?"_

Freedom maybe? For the Hellions anyway. But how? Where? There was nowhere to go outside of Hell, if they were trying to gain freedom- they were dead! They couldn't go to Earth, and the angels would stop them from going to Heaven.

Heaven…

Could they go to Heaven? That was the only other place for the spirits of the dead, but was it possible? Sunlight burned them. So that wouldn't work. But why the tunnels, and why rile all the hellions up? And what had the guards meant about not having to answer to anyone? Were they getting rid of God? If they got rid of God, could they go to heaven? But the Hellions hated angels. They wouldn't be able to live along side of them…so would they get rid of them? But they'd never be able to do that, right?

Chrono groaned, drawing the letter out of his pocket, his head aching. "God damned idiot!" he scrounged in his small pouch for his small quill tip and scanned the letter, spreading one large hand beneath it. Why the hell did he have to be so slow? He was probably over reacting- he was sure he was: the idea that Heaven's Guard would want to have anything to do with Hell was ludicrous! But some how, some way, Rosette was in trouble- his gut told him that- he was just too damned stupid to be able to figure out why or how or what.

Still, the Heaven's Guard was showing no interest in keeping the Hellions quiet, and the Hellions didn't seem too eager to remain silent, and that couldn't be good. The Guard seemed to think that the "West bank face" was almost through to somewhere, meaning some part of their plan had to be going well, because they were frustrated with the other "East Cavern". The Guard also seemed to be waiting on them, the Hellions to do something…

"…too many 'somethings'."

Chewing his lip, he pierced the paper a few time, hoping she'd notice- there were only two more chances after this- and shoved the letter back under his clothes, wriggling into the packed corridor between a hulking, blue-skinned reptilian demon and a thin human male struggling to keep from being mashed against the wall. Chrono shifted, double stepping as he stumbled in between them, twisting to stop from squishing the human as he scooted around him, slowing to a trot- he could've just stopped, and still would've kept moving. He winced as a figure up ahead fell and was trampled as the group roared by, the wind tearing the hair on their scalps- he kept moving, pushing through the fog, up and up and up.

Chrono squinted, trying to gauge where he was along the drive- it was hard to tell. Up ahead, the tunnel diverged, splitting cleanly into two dripping mouths, one spiralling into the ground toward Cold Lake, the other twisting away to the left. He glanced at the Heaven Guards, two of them, posted at the entranceway. Unfortunately neither seemed drunk: shoving dawdlers along with their staffs and kicking those who were closer to them. He slid his eyes along the tunnel walls, then back to the split tunnels, ice flickering red in the pale candlelight and black everywhere else. Light to darkness, light to dark. Between lanterns, the Hellions appeared pale shadows, illuminated by soft puffs of white breath. He couldn't hide in the open and- he flicked his eyes towards the left branch.

He could make a run for it. It would easy- just plough on through the guards… but that would get him caught. Groaning, he let himself be swept past them, glancing back as they tailed the group down to the cavern. He held his breath as they neared the sump, the temperature dropping and dropping until his heart felt like it would freeze in his chest- it probably would, but it wouldn't really matter. Besides, it was warming up now as another group of hell-bound unfolded themselves from a crosscut, following a guard carrying a lantern.

Crosscut?

Chrono narrowed his eyes: It might work. He squeezed between cursing demons, slipping on the smooth ground and grabbing the nearest lantern bracket. Sucking a yelp as his skin sizzled, he let the crowd shove past him, knocking him into the welcome dark of the candle-less passage. Quickly, he scuttled further into the darkness, lying flat as the last stragglers and the two guards pounded past, beating their way to one of the lower faces. A moment. Two… he crawled to mouth of the narrow corridor, crouching there and watching the guard's red coats bob away. Clop, clop, clop, their boots snapped over the ground, echoing and echoing.

Eventually, keeping low, he scrambled back into the main tunnel and lurched to his feet, darting towards the top of the slope and the other corridor, his heart roaring. From there it was just- he slammed closer to the wall; "Shit."; the two drunken guards from earlier were standing at the top of the shaft, blocking his way, Lucky still wavering a little.

"Lucky! Jeez man, sshnap outta it!" the other guard slurred, slapping Lucky's shoulder and hiccupping. Lucky giggled back, stumbling in a rouge blast of wind and falling. Chrono licked his chapped lips, inching along the wall, slowly dropping closer and closer to the ground, never taking his eyes off the bright figures.

"Sho whys we gots t'shtay here Cobalt?" Lucky whined. "It's cold."

"It's about to get colder." Cobalt muttered and Chrono froze as two sets of unsteady footsteps grew louder.

They were coming down to hall! Frantically, he looked back at the crosscut, too far away to hide in this time, then to the shadows, more abundant here, but his pale skin would still show through the holes in his shirt in the sputtering light. Light… he grit his teeth, pressing against the wall and wrapping his hand around the nearest lantern, turning his face from the light.

Just like fighting exorcizing demons.

Focus on the task at hand.

Block out all the rest.

"Ug. I can't wait to see all the others shquirming about when we win." His hand tightened on the handle- hot!- and he bit his tongue. He couldn't say anything-

"He-" He wrenched the lamp from the wall, flinging it towards their faces. As he'd hoped, it shattered on the stone in a small explosion of oily glass and light. The guards yelled, covering their faces and ducking, yelling, blinded.

He dove past them, barrelling up the hall and down the left corridor even as the yells grew louder behind him. "Damn it!" Brilliant move! He ranted, swinging into another set of branching tunnels, the hard pounding of feet growing in his ears. Left tunnel, third right, up, up, up!

"Up ahead!"

"Making a break for it!"

"Check the exterior tunnels!" He was staggering by the time his feet were scrabbling on yellow brick of the entrance adit, his lungs burning, but he didn't stop, clawing his way up to the top of the shaft and the gate as a flock of Newly Dead were clearing the area, having opened their boxes.

"Wait." He croaked, cursing his traitor voice, faint and broken. His lungs screamed as he gouged them open, hauling in a breath and screaming: "Wait!" Damn it. He could hear the guards below, swarming at the base of the shaft; he was cornered. Once they came up… his legs gave out. "Please wait! Please!" What if no one stopped…then Rosette…he shook his head, clearing the though and his prickling eyes, drawing another painful breath. "_Someone wait!"_ He couldn't fail her again! He wouldn't.

The crossroads were barren.

"He's up there!"

"Go on up then, idiot!"

Fail, fail, fail.

Crunch.

Two pairs of feet stopped before him, a pair of worn leather loafers and a pair of black, high heeled shoes; two scents he recognised, but the sky was too bright to see them clearly; he had to squint at their shadows.

"Chrono." They knew him?

"Please, sir, miss," he couldn't remember their names. It all seemed so grainy; hazy memories, so far away. "Would you take this?" He shoved the letter towards them, pain searing through him as the light touched his singed hand, his foot. The gong was ringing, below, calling him back, not that he wasn't trouble anyway. The voices of the guards rose to shouts. "Please deliver this!" he jumped up, a familiar rattling of chains harassing his ears. "Please deliver this!" Somewhere beyond the light overwhelming his eyes, the gates to Heaven would be closing soon, and then they would be cast down with him. "Hurry- you won't- you-" The Chains of the Damned swooped around him, cold metal on his chest, his arms, his legs, a web of ice and rage, dragging him back into frozen non-existence, and he offered no fight- he was so tired… the darkness….

He'd delivered the letter, despite that… Hands grabbed him by the neck, the collar, shoving him against a cold stone wall. He blinked: a shadow red and dark...green cat eyes… horns? Why did a Heaven's Guard have horns? "I've got him!" His back hurt. A boot hit his side, his shoulder. "God damned idiot."

He hadn't failed this time, had he? Had he?

Darkness…

_Rosette._

The wind wailed.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

A/N:

**Terms: These are terms that may or may not be used in this story**. They may make things clearer. They are mainly mining terms. I apologise if I used them in the wrong context, but the situation is a little different than their earthly meaning- so it is an approximation. When only part of the definition applied, I have underlined it. Also, I am not indicating that all miners go to Hell.

**Face:** a mining term meaning the end of a tunnel where work is progressing.

**Shaft:** A vertical or inclined excavation for the purpose of opening and servicing a mine. It usually has a hoist at the top.

**Portal:** the surface entrance to a tunnel or adit

**Adit:** A passageway or opening driven horizontally into the side of a hill. It is open to the atmosphere at one end or a tunnel at both ends. It is loosely referred to as a tunnel, and is what is referred to as a tunnel here.

**Tunnel:** A horizontal passage open at both ends. It is loosely used in place of adit.

**Crosscut:** A horizontal opening driven across the course of a vein or structure, or in general across the strike of the rock formation; a connection from a shaft to an ore structure.

**Drive/ Drift:** A horizontal passage underground that follow along the length of a vein or rock formation as opposed to a crosscut which crosses the rock formation

**Fissure:** An extensive crack, break or fracture in the rocks

**Sump**: An excavation underground for the purpose of catching or storing water; the bottom of a shaft is commonly used for this purpose.

**Stope:** An excavation in a mine from which ore is being or has been extracted. Used here to mean the working end of the adit/ tunnel


	3. A World Away

A/N: I don't own Chrono Crusade.

Letters From Hell

Chapter 3: A World Away

Kate frowned.

She twisted.

She plucked.

"It strikes me as being a little low- it'll slip when I'm flying."

"Darling, you really must put aside your self-consciousness! You're in Heaven now, and you can not go mincing about in those horrendous rags you were dragged here in!"

"That was my uniform."

"Whatever Darling! Now, try on the others and let me know if you need anything!" Kate watched the other angel, a dark-haired clerk named Suzanne swagger out of the dressing room and leaving her standing, staring at her reflection.

And _it._

"…" The dress was tight, red, and had only one shoulder before it shimmered over her torso, widening at the hips to a delicate swirl around her ankles. Apparently, it was all the rage here in Heaven. She twisted again and promptly tripped over the hem, falling with an elegant thump against the mirror.

"Everything fabulous darling?" she scowled, glowering at the closed (and locked from the inside) dressing room door.

"Delightful." Yanking off the ridiculous dress- there was no way she'd wear the foolish thing- she stared at the mirror, her hand drifting to her eyes, her chocolate hair, her face. And it _was_ her face. She had to keep reminding herself that.

She still felt strange not seeing all the wrinkles, the yellowed eyes, the grey hair. She found their absence more perplexing than the hazel-tinted wings curling from her shoulder blades.

When a soul died, it was loose, malleable and unstable because it no longer had a corporeal body. It had nothing to adjust too, no specific form. As the souls were sent to Heaven or Hell, they began to adjust to their respective circumstances, and the soul could choose how it would appear. Many people seemed to revert back to their twenties, but she had chosen her thirties. If there was a time when she could've done things differently, it would've been then.

"Katie, sweetie, are you finished yet?"

"No!" She searched the pile of silk and velvet, tossing aside the dresses that would tangle her up- how could people land while wearing these idiotic things? Finally, she pulled out a white woollen dress, a turtle necked one that came only to mid-calf and that was thick enough to provide some heat in the cooler nights. Casting around, she managed to find a black one and a blue one of similar design as well as a couple tunic styles. Donning the white wool, she gathered the dresses and her old habit and stepped out into the main shop, dropping the idiot-dresses back onto the bench. Suzanne strolled easily through the maze of bright racks of clothes and studied the white wool, her lip curling.

"Darling, are you sure? It's awfully…plain."

"It is quite fine, I assure you." Kate snapped, pursing her lips. "And I'll take these." She held out the other dresses, the practical ones.

"Tch. Whatever you say, darling. Just come back if you need something with a little life."

"Thank you." Still red-faced, Kate stalked from the boutique, folding her dresses neatly into her satchel before vaulting from the launch platform and swooping up into the colourful bustle of shopping angels; jewel winged figures flitting from tower to tower, landing on the jetties and wharves and piers, lazily browsing the stores glinting from every level. There were hundreds of shops in the area, maybe thousands, because sometimes there were small businesses located behind the fronted ones. There was the boutique, Amelia's, which overflowed with ranks of brightly coloured dresses. Above that, there was a bookstore/ stationary shop called Epilogue, run by a short gentleman who'd smiled and given her a smooth black journal and a pen, saying she looked like someone with a lot to write about. There was a florist above that and another clothing boutique, then a hatter. The next building over, there was an accessory store, full of feather dusters, wing clips and other flight oriented paraphernalia, a gym, sports shop, a fussy café with round, honey coloured tables covered in intricate gold patterns and a restaurant that also sold flutes and other musical instruments. The items were bartered for as there was no currency, but as a Newly Dead, Kate could pick up basic supplies like clothing and other necessities for trading as a gift, just to start off. So far, she'd collected the keys to her apartment, a satchel, a rug, some dishes, the five dresses and a pair of sturdy leather boots besides the journal.

It was more than she had ever allowed herself on Earth.

Sighing, she landed in front of a pastry shop, opting to walk over one of the narrow bridges to go to a different café, The Firefly, where she and Ewan had decided to meet. Hopefully Ewan was having more luck than she was- they'd split up that morning to shop and look for any way of finding Rosette, or even any other deceased Order or family members.

Kate tucked a loose bang behind her ear and stooped under the curtained doorway, disappointment heavy on her shoulders. So far, she'd found no trace of her former charge. A small bell tinkled as the shear cloth slid back into place, rustling behind her. No sign of Rosette. Granted, it wasn't surprising given the number of souls in the city, but she'd still hoped they find her.

The Firefly café was small but open, its large windows blinking sleepily at the pier outside from behind their think beaded eyelashes. Small, sturdy chairs with rose patterned cushions lounged around pale pink glass tables, filling the room and demanding to be sat on. The floor, the usual bare stone, was coloured by the dozens of stained glass ornaments dangling in the window and from the ceiling beams. She raised her eyes to the sparkling colours.

"Do you like them?" A round woman with a violet bandana in her black hair smiled, waving a birdlike hand at the little pieces as she leaned on the hardwood counter, drying a plate. "It's a hobby of mine." Kate smiled, looking quickly around the room, reminded of the churches she'd loved so much.

"They're beautiful." She fingered one hanging in a window, a small heart with a pair of wings in it.

"You can take it back to your table if you'd like to look at it." The woman came around the counter, reaching over Kate's should and hooking the heart off its suction cup. "Here you go. I'm Clover by the by, Miss…"

"Kate. Kate Valentine." She felt like she'd said that million times already. Clover thrust out a hand, and Kate took it, surprised at the small woman's grip.

"Clover Hansen, Ms. Valentine. Welcome to Heaven, although," she looked her over. "You've probably already had enough of being welcomed. Come sit down- tea? So, are you waiting for someone?"

"Tea would be lovely. Er, yes I am. He said he'd meet me here."

"Oh! So he's already come over has he?" The shop-keeper beamed, scooping up a china tea cup and slipping a piece of lemon neatly over the rim. "So many, you know, have to wait years for their loved ones to join them. And it's so hard- you're left with your feelings, and they with theirs, but eventually, they may move on. Of course, once that happens, the deceased soul often moves on as well- there are many lonely souls in heaven."

"I suppose it is hard." Kate nodded, hesitant. She ran her finger around the edge of the ornament, glancing at the door as an angel landed, but he took off again. He was too short anyway.

"Yes, well, as they say: better to have loved and lost and so on- to never fall in love!" Clover gasped, dropping the tray down upon the table with a clatter. "It's terribly sad." Kate looked at the young woman with her long black braid and her wide brown eyes and raised an eyebrow. Clover shrugged, patting the glass table. "I never had time, and then, poof! I was dead."

"I was a nun. An exorcist."

"You were a damn fine one too." Both women jumped as Ewan ducked through the doorway, waving. "Sorry I'm late." The former –"damn fine"- exorcist raised her head and paused, pinking at the compliment.

Ewan, like her, had decided to change back into a younger form, so that they both looked to be about the same age. He had also gotten new clothes; tan trousers and a clean white shirt- he would have looked serious, for the trousers had stern creases and every button was fastened on the shirt, but his hair, the colour of butter, flopped as haphazardly as always around his face.

"There wasn't a set time to meet," she said coolly, moving her chair back so he could get his long legs under the table. He sat, laying his satchel down beside hers and settling his wide bronze wings onto the specially cut rests on the back of the chair.

"No, there wasn't." he nodded, flattening his hair and undoing the top button of his shirt, grimacing. "That doesn't mean I should keep you waiting. Did you get your keys?"

"Yes I did. And you?"

He jingled the pocket of his pants, "Indeed: a lovely apartment in tower 34, better known as Blueing Heights." He leaned back in his chair, grinning at Clover. The other woman scooted behind the counter, clattering dishes into the sink. "Most of our group has apartments there. We may neighbours."

"It will not be the first time we've shared the same building."

"Ah, but now, we aren't in a monastery." His teasing smile faded and he glanced around. "I asked at the information centre if there was some way to find someone- best I could come up with was to go to city hall to see the records. Apparently they don't keep that information just anywhere. I'm heading there after this unless you had better luck?"

"None at all. Not on Rosette. But," Kate chuckled despite herself- some things hadn't changed. "I did hear of a rather lecherous old man living in the North End, but apparently they're fairly common." Ewan joined her laughter, taking a modest swig from the porcelain cup Clover had slipped onto the table. His eye fell on the stained-glass piece Kate had seen and he plucked it up. "This' pretty." He held it up, dangling it from his fingers. Kate watched the colours slid over his face, over the table. "Very nice craftsmanship."

"Womenship. C-crafts_woman_ship." Clover looked up from refilling their cups, backing away red faced and clutching the silver teapot. She licked her lips. "I-it was a variation on a design that a Newly Dead asked me to make a few decades back."

"How do you make a variation on this? It looks pretty as it is." Kate smiled at the other woman, but she only flushed a deeper shade of red.

"Um…well, the original was a drawing the girl did herself…. It was to go in her window." Growing more confident as she spoke, she perched on the counter, setting the tea pot beside her and resting her elbows on her knees. "A very crude design, done on a napkin, but she really, really wanted it, a heart with a pair of wings in it, except, she didn't want white wings. Some of my best work though- all those feathers and scales." The ornament dropped from Ewan's hand. A cup crashed to the floor as both he and Kate dove for it, landing in a tangle on the floor, Kate on top, scowling.

"Oh."

"Ewan, be more careful!"She prodded him in the chest. He could be as bad as Rosette sometimes! "We don't need to break anything on our first day! Hopefully they wouldn't end up trading more and more things for damages again!"

"Kate…"

"Yes?" She blinked, looking down at his bemused face from his hips, where she was sitting. "Ewan!" She leapt up, straightening her skirt. She had to be more careful; clearly, he would've been able to catch the ornament; there had been no need of her jumping him- towards him. Towards him.

She stared red cheeked at the immaculate silver teapot, abandoned on the counter.

"Did you say _scales_?" Ewan rose to his feet, dusting off his back. Clover bent over, picking up the broken teacup. She nodded.

"I'm sorry if I offended you sir- but yes. Yes, she wanted a devil's wing. It wasn't a terribly difficult thing to make, but the scales were ridiculously time consuming. It was an odd choice of a design though, very odd, considering where we are and all. Still, she traded a nice set of dishes for the charm and a box."

"Do you remember her name?" Kate fixed her chair, patting the seat dry- there couldn't possibly be that many people in Heaven who cared for a demon. Clover bit her lip, frowning, but then shook her head, reaching up to pat her kerchief back into place.

"It was a long time ago. I don't keep a record, not really. Just a list of current projects and the contacts for it. I'm sorry. " Ewan sighed, fixing his own chair.

"That's alright. Sorry about the cup."

"Oh, that's not a problem." She flapped her hands, shaking her head so rapidly Kate was afraid she'd hurt her neck. "It doesn't get rowdy here, so it doesn't happen frequently. I just wish I could be more help."

"Oh, but you've been very helpful." Remington smiled, stooping and kissing the waitress' hand. "Ready to go, Kate? We should be able to make it over to City hall before they close today- it's not a far flight from here."Kate nodded, and scooping up their bags, they headed towards city hall, leaving a very red faced craftswoman to watch shop.

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The City Hall for Heaven was huge, a white stone building with a large domed roof covered entirely in sky-blue ceramic tiles and slender ribbons of silver, giving the building the appearance of a curiosity store miniature.

Remington hesitated as they stepped through the revolving door, but no one paid them heed as he stifled the urge to race across room and bang on the enormous horse shoe shaped desk. He was still half expecting someone to leap out and point an accusing finger at him and kick him out for having kept himself alive with the use of legion.

As it was, he fell back and watched Kate march across the mirrored floor, hair and satchel flying behind her. "Hurry up Ewan." He shook his head- the woman was lost when without purpose. Give her a job and she was an unmoving force until she got it done. It had caused much consternation between the Head-nun and Rosette, but it was a quality that had been much needed in the Orders exorcists and only a rare few had it.

Kate tapped the bell, its soft plink echoing in the vaulted room, but none of the angels bustling from room to room slowed or looked their way, darting here and there with their stacks of paper, books, jugs of water, briefcases.

He almost felt at home.

Kate tapped the bell again, drumming her fingers on the desk.

"Maybe we're here off hours." He groaned in response: it would be just their luck- they were always just off whenever they tried to do anything in regards to Rosette and her demonic partner. Kate snorted.

"Excuse me!" she strode over to a harried man in a tweed suit. "Do know where I can access the city files- I'm trying to find a former acquaintance of mine." The man wrinkled his nose.

"An acquaintance? Try the city files." He turned and wandered off, absently muttering to himself. Ewan sighed as Kate tried another worker, only to get the same response. He sighed, pulling out the letter and smoothing it on the dark wood of the desk and looking at the neat writing, shivering at the memory of the frail ghost that had handed it to him. It had been so very long- did time run the same way in Heaven? Did Rosette even remember them? Chrono hadn't made any acknowledgement that he did. Had Rosette forgotten them too?

More importantly, had she forgotten Chrono?

He doubted it but…

"Remington!" Kate waved him over to where she stood next to an orange haired teen in a red coat. The boy held out a hand, his elfish face stretched into a wide grin.

"Father Remington. I've heard much about you. It's been a long time." Ewan shook his head, frowning.

"I'm sorry I-"

"Oh, don't worry. I'm Cameron Valentine, Keeper of Records for the City of Heaven."

Valentine? Ewan glanced at Kate.

"My nephew." Cameron nodded.

"So, I'm guessing you two are looking to meet up with some old friends. Technically, we're closed for the evening, but, come on in." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder towards a set of glass doors. "The privileges of friends and family, I tell ye! Anyway, there're still some meetings raging upstairs, so we'll be here a while yet. What or who can I find for you?" They stepped through the doors into a cool cavernous room lined with row upon row of heavy, dusty volumes. Ewan stared at the shelves. The huge structures stretched up and up, at lease four stories- beyond that is was hard to see in the shadows.

"All records?"

"Heaven's a hopping place. Who're you looking for- unless it was incredibly long ago, I can probably tell you flat out. Otherwise, if you give me year of death and name, we're all set to roll." The teen shoved a stack of papers to the side and sat on a small desk buried in the corner, putting on a pair of reading classes. He frowned then pulled them off, scrubbing at the lenses. "Ug. All this reading is murder on the eyes. Trying to keep a city running and we don't even have proper lighting." He shoved the glasses on his nose, still grinning even as he complained.

"Cameron, we're looking for Rosette Christopher." Kate was already by the shelves, running her finger over the dates. "Died March-"

"Rosette Christopher, March, 1932, age twenty-four."

"You memorized that? I thought you said recently." Ewan raised an eyebrow, but the teen rolled his eyes.

"We're talking about Rosette here. For one thing, I'm constantly picking up her mail, for seconds…" he looked at his watch and stood. "Anyway, you could've asked pretty much anyone where to find her- she's pretty famous around here. Come on." Ewan winced and Kate groaned.

What exactly was their most destructive nun known for?

"Cameron!"

"Relax Aunt Katie-cat, we're only going upstairs." Locking the door to the library and twirling the key around his finger, he flapped his wings and shot up to the second floor balcony, gesturing for them to follow.

"That boy never _could_ concentrate on something for a decent amount of time." Kate muttered.

Ewan chuckled, shaking his head. "At least he's helping us…right Katie-cat?" she missed a flap, floundering for a moment in the air before scrambling onto the balcony. Well, it was heaven, so Rosette couldn't be in too much trouble.

"_Ewan Remington_" He laughed, landing next to Kate and catching her arm. The woman glowered at him.

"Shh!" Cameron glowered at them, suddenly serious. "This is the debate room." He gestured to a towering, tightly shut ebony door marked with a silver dragon that coiled over the surface to curl its tail around the knob, a sturdy silver dove. "It's where they decide who goes to Heaven or Hell, what the standards that can be applied for going to Heaven or Hell are, as well as general bylaws. More private debates are held in God's office."

Ewan blinked, mirroring Kate's expression of shock.

"God has an office?" Cameron nodded, turning the handle.

"Apparently it's a sucky job- there's a lot of paperwork."

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"Milady Speaker, why should this gentleman be allowed to pass the gates? He has spent years causing mayhem, being a general hoodlum! He continually loses his temper- he is likely to hurt someone soon! He has stolen numerous objects including purses, money, an automobile and a knife. He once threatened a man. He is a menace to Earth and to Heaven! He cannot be allowed to pass these gates or to walk again. To Hell!" The voice boomed through the expanse of the debate room, rippling over the two opposing ranks of angels, the semicircle balcony of tiers and the dark haired young woman seated on an immense silver throne. She appeared only in her twenties, and was young by angel standards, with large white wings that curled prettily behind her. Her dress was red, the colour used in the Heaven Guards' uniform. They had to match their lord, the Lord, as a sign of respect, and her favourite colour was a ruby crimson.

Thus, the Guards wore red.

Rosette waited, her hands folded on the file set before her, her eyes firmly on the woman's- Godren's (God to most humans)- heart shaped face, waiting. A chair scraped and Stevenson sat down, smirking at her. If she looked, his even white teeth would be glinting at her, two rows of pearls. Godren nodded and she looked to Amelia's stern face. Her partner nodded from the other end of the left rank.

Rosette stood.

"Milady Speaker and all involved persons," her voice, clear and bell-like rang through the room. "Mister Benjamin Truman is not, by any means, a saint, but nor is he entirely evil." Not by a long shot. "He discovered at an early age that violence can indeed solve many problems. There have, however, been many cases when he has avoided using violence. If you will look to the incident in 1978, you will see that it would have made all the sense in the world for him to attack Mr. Kennedy, especially after Mr. Kennedy's insults. Mr. Kennedy _himself_ attacked Truman, yet Truman _did not_ retaliate, and, in fact, participated in notably fewer skirmishes after this point, avoiding them as best as his life could allow. After the age of twenty and two, he was involved in no crime until he was framed in April." It hadn't been easy for him either, she noted, glancing at her file as she sat down again. A life on the streets or lower class meant you had to fight to survive. It was not an easy life, and Benny had worked hard to escape it, eventually becoming a social worker and getting engaged, but he was framed for murder and theft and lost everything, dieing a few weeks later from weak lungs and a broken heart.

Stevenson was standing again. The former nun took a sip from her water glass, looking around the demurely dressed Members of Council. Jackson was flipping his files, his face blank, and Councillor Stevenson was scowling. Good.

"Milady Speaker," he cleared his throat, tapping his papers neatly on his desk. "Mr. Truman, it is true, was framed for murder- which he _claims_ he did not commit, but he laid the blame on another innocent man's shoulders. That is a sin in itself." A nod and she was up again.

"From Mr. Truman's position, it was a likely thing that the other man had committed the crime- and he was guilty of many other crimes, if not that one."

"That still did not give Mr. Truman the right to blame Whitten."

"No." she had to concede that point. "But he also did not commit the crime and did help numerous children as best as he was able." He was very frustrated with the system, because so many children slipped through. He'd hated that. "Also, do not forget the group of students he saved during the 1973 fire, long before he had "given up" crime- the man had a kind heart. I vote for allowing him entrance."

"Milady speaker, is it not likely that he _started _the fire?"

"There is no evidence to that effect." Amelia's lips jerked up, just slightly. "He has attempted, Milady Speaker, to improve himself, and took many steps to do so. He attended counselling and worked his way through high school and post secondary. He also set a good example to many of the children he tried to help. He should gain entrance."

"That Hellion?" Rosette took another sip of water as Stevenson scrounged to find something he hadn't already said.

Godren tapped the table then looked up to the top row of tiers, the Upper Council. They were the one's who would vote, and she would go with that, although she could argue the point if she thought it was necessary.

Rosette didn't envy her. Glaring at Stevenson, she turned her gaze up to the Upper council, fidgeting as they talked amongst themselves. Finally, Grayson, Grey, the speaker for the council stood.

"Mister Truman was indeed a person who had many scuffs with the law, mainly based on necessity, and his own personal sense of right and wrong. While, these frequently did not coincide with Lawful action, he also strove to help as many others as he possibly could." The grey winged angel took a deep breath. "Accepted." Rosette smiled, air whooshing from her lungs as she pulled out another file while the rest of the party cleared- she was finished for the day, but she had another case tomorrow.

"See you tomorrow Rosette." Amelia squeezed her shoulder and waved before leaving. "We have more souls to save." Rosette smiled at her partner- Amelia had been the one to argue for Chrono's entrance into Heaven. (Despite having contracted a demon, Rosette's own entrance had been secured by her helping of mankind.) His was the only disputed entrance that Amelia failed to win, and that was something she had never forgotten.

A shadow fell over her papers, and Godren patted her shoulder.

"Well fought, 'Sette." she nodded absently, running her finger through the list of names she would be arguing for the next day, as well as a plan to add a new building closer to the wall.

The great, stupid, bloody wall.

"Thanks Milady." God rolled her eyes, giving her a light smack on the head and grinning.

"Rosette Christopher, if you start that up again…!"

"Ok, ok." She held up her hands then tucked her papers into her satchel, carefully pushing them between a thick journal and a thin wooden box. "I won't…Milady."

"_Rosette!_" The two girls chuckled, shouldering their bags. "Looks like someone's here to see you." Godren pointed to the balcony and for a moment, Rosette felt her heart give a jump.

Someone… she forced herself to look up, up, up and waved to Cam, forcing the disappointment away. The other angel was leaning so far over the railing he had to flap his wings to keep from plunging the three story drop to the debate floor. He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to a couple standing to his left. Rosette blinked.

"Father Remington! Sister Kate!" she lunged upwards, crashing in front of them. Someone from before! "I hadn't known you were going to be here so soon, it's so good to see you!" she hugged the father, swallowing. She'd missed them. She'd missed them all. She turned to Sister Kate, holding out her hand, Kate grabbed it, pulling her former charge closer and embracing her briefly before blushing and stepping back. Rosette gaped at her in shock.

"The Order was never the same without you, Sister Rosette."

"Neither was Heaven once she came." Cam muttered. Kate blanched and Ewan laughed. Rosette just rolled her eyes, studying her friends. Godren landed beside her.

"Don't worry- she hasn't destroyed any buildings since she's arrived."

"Yeah, just those three statues and the-"

"Yeah, but you would've done more than destroy something if you were in her situation!"

"I would NOT. **I** happened to be respectable during life." Rosette stepped between the feuding angels- Cam and Godren had become famous for their rather loud arguments.

"Cam! Godren! Lay- ow hey! Lay off! Let's not dig up old wounds now, ok?" They fell silent, and Rosette cringed, seeing the familiar worry in their eyes. She glared at them, dragging Godren forward and pointing at her. "Father Remington, Sister Kate, I'd like you to meet Godren –"God"- Mayor of this Proud City of Heaven."

The two Newly Deads stared at them, and Godren chuckled.

"Welcome. I'm pleased to finally meet some of Rosette's friends." Cam pouted at her.

"Hey! What about me?" Godren stuck out her tongue.

"You were a post-mortem friend!"

"So were you." Shaking her head, Rosette took Father Remington and Sister Kate's arms, leading them from the room.

"Good bye, farewell, later, I'll see you guys tomorrow." She called over her shoulder, kicking the door shut. "Geez, you'd think she was 12, not 2500." They could be idiots, but they were her friends. "How was the trip? Uh." She hesitated on the wharf. "I guess we can go to my place. You're not unpacked yet, are you?"

"Your home would be fine," Father Remington nodded, and the trio winged up into the darkening sky, swooping over the moat of thorny buildings leeching, burning their way to the Gates, the huge entranceway to a city for the "good and the Kind" that was nothing more than a gap in the giant wall keeping them separated from the "evil".

Beyond the Wall, all she could see were shadows.

"You've changed." She jumped, looking at her former employer.

"Pardon?" Changed? Maybe a little, but not that she could really discern. Kate shook her head, looking out over the city, at Remington, at a pair of twittering angels comparing wings on a roof top. Shrugging, Rosette pointed to a small jetty poking its finger into space from the middle of the tallest apartment building.

"That's our target." She said softly. "My house."

Her house, but never her home.

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Kate craned her neck as they entered the large apartment, staring at the papers that covered absolutely every piece of furniture, from the armoire to the plain oak kitchen table to the bed. Pages and pages of files, all neatly stacked, all sorted.

"I'm sorry about the mess. I'm completely backed up." Rosette laughed weakly and dropped her satchel on a boot rack by the door, gesturing for the others to do the same. Kate looked at her, studying the woman's pale face as she kept her head down, eyes running, calculating and cool over the files even as she moved them rapidly into bursting accordion files. "You'd think you'd be able to pick up a filing cabinet here, but no- they don't sell that sort of thing, despite how many people in City Hall need them- it's no wonder that Heaven is in a state- I can't imagine what Godren's office looks like- well, I suppose I wouldn't be able to imagine- except I've been there so often I don't have to!" Kate caught Ewan's eye as Rosette chattered, carrying the files to other surfaces.

The Tornado of the Magdalene Order had kept herself in her twenties, much like she had been when she died, her long blonde hair pulled back into a golden-yellow braid and tied with a violet ribbon. That seemed to be the extent of her contrasting colours though, because she wore a simple black turtleneck dress, the same style that Kate was wearing. The older woman had to catch herself before she smiled smugly. You didn't have to be a flashy dresser!

"There we are!" Rosette threw the last accordion file onto her bed, yanking a dividing curtain in front of it and pulling out one of the chairs from the table. "All cleared away. Have a seat. So, what do you think of Heaven?" They sat, and Kate fiddled with the glass of juice Rosette had set before her. Ewan looked pointedly at her- _answer_- but she couldn't think of anything to say. What did you say? That Heaven wasn't what you expected? Kate glared back at him. And how did you say anything to a woman who spends her time knowing that while she and her lover (Kate had long ago accepted that such feelings between the partners were unavoidable and had missed the quiet side of the duo once he'd vanished.) could never see one another for the rest of eternity?

"It's…not quite what I expected." She said finally, still trying to mesh fireball Rosette with the soft spoken woman calmly carrying over plates of crackers and cheese. Rosette nodded.

"We get that a lot- I think everyone gets that sort of feeling when they arrive- I have yet to find anyone who expected Heaven to be a giant city. I sure didn't." She tied back the curtains, the mid afternoon sun swinging through the glass and picking up the colours of the ornament hanging there, casting the heart shaped design on the pale table. "But then, who of us would have expected this? It's a whole other world from the whole smite the wrong bit."

"God is a teenage girl." Remington noted.

"She was elected a couple centuries ago. Prior to that it was Marvin. Ug- I'm so sorry." She held up a stack of dirty dishes. "I really just haven't had time to clean, there're so many cases nowadays that I don't get a moments rest!"

"Cleaning was never your strong point." Kate chuckled, remembering Rosette's bemoaning of chores. It was a steady string of complaints she'd dealt with every day, back then. "And what do you mean by 'cases'?"

"No…" Rosette agreed, studying a much stained plate as if trying to figure out exactly _what_ was stuck on it. "No, I never liked cleaning- I did a lot less of it then you think, too. Poor Chrono- I always forced him to do my mopping when no one was looking. And he had a knack for laundry, although, he was always petrified he'd get caught. I'm a soul lawyer- when a soul dies and its next existence is debated, I'm your girl. Amy taught me all she could after she lost Chrono's case. Kind of an apology, I guess. Atonement."

"Do you miss him?"

"_Ewan_!" Kate glanced pointedly at him, but at the same time, he'd said what they'd both needed to. Rosette bobbed her head, weaving around the island to sit down.

"Yes." The blonde shrugged, popping a cracker in her mouth, glaring out the window. Kate followed her gaze and spotted the huge wall surrounding the city.

"I'm guessing then that you still remember him?" Rosette raised an eyebrow at her.

"Do I _remember_ him?" she laughed, but it was bitter, ringing hard in Kate's gut. The girl wasn't as happy as she let on. Ewan sighed, leaning forward, and Kate shifted left, away from him as their knees bumped.

"Do you get letters from him often?" Ewan asked. Rosette shook her head, rolling a piece of cheese around on her plate before pushing the full plate aside.

"They're usually is eight months to a year apart, and usually fairly short-" she seemed to realize what she was saying, head snapping up. "How did you know-?"

Ewan held up the letter. Rosette's eyes widened, her lips parting into a stunned 'oh', a hand flying up to cover her mouth. "You-" Kate turned away as the girl reached for the paper.

How could God- teenaged girl or not- do this?

How could she put two kind hearted people in their own personal hells?

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Rosette swallowed, her eyes filling with tears, staring at the plain white envelope laying on the table, staring at the neat writing on it, her name. It was his writing. She saw the narrow, delicate script everyday- every morning when she got up, every evening before she went to bed, every time she felt sad, every time she wanted to be happy. She'd committed most of them to memory, but they all were flattened, safely tucked away in easy reach- notably in the box sitting just to her right on the windowsill.

"Rose-" Father Remington went to catch her shoulder but she shook her head, picking up the letter. The last one had come back in…she tried to remember. She tried not to think about the small red-brown patches that had been on that one. She tried not to think he was gone.

Now she knew he wasn't, at least not yet. A cheer threatened to leap free, but there were others around so she smiled, snatching the sword shaped letter opener from the sandstone windowsill where it sat on the narrow lacquered box and a stack of warped, bursting diaries. The diaries were all full except the current one, and every entry started the same way: Dear Chrono.

Tonight she'd actually have something to respond to- another way she was luckier then him.

Oh let me count the ways. She'd rewritten that once.

Breathe dancing erratically, she slid the edge of the mini-sword under the flap and drew it across, her hands trembling so much that she tore the envelope in her hurry. Chrono, Chrono, Chrono- was he ok? He never, ever wrote about that. He talked about everything but that, except for a rare time when the words were so scattered, so broken, she was afraid she was losing him to the wind he told her about. She got the feeling that he didn't realize he'd sent those, though, because the next letter he'd be back to normal. She'd wondered then, what had happened when he wrote those letters, the strange ones.

She drew the letter out, a piece of paper with creases worn thin from bending. For a moment, her eyes blurred and she couldn't read it, choking. She didn't look up, running her hands over the rough paper, trying to picture his hands clutching the pen, trying to see his hair falling over his face, over his crimson eyes as he bent close in the dim light, writing and writing and writing.

_Dear Rosette__, Letter 98,_

_How__ ar__e__ you? Things __ha__v__e__ been fa__i__rly mu__ndan__e down here…__ the __g__uard ar__e__ the same as always. Ma__r__ty says to say hallo- H-A-L-L-O, specifically__- looks like I'm still being bosse__d__ ar__o__u__n__d. I__t__'__s not __t__he same though, I mean… well__, you unde__r__stand. Still,__ o__u__r little group i__s__ doing__ alrigh__t__. Tzi'__s been __h__ov__e__ring __a__round, Marty's been goofing off- luckily he hasn't caused any more cave ins- how many times can a guy do that before people get suspicious? Uma's been pretty busy. She's still trying to prove that she's as tough as any guy. She doesn't have to though, because we all have known fantastic women who are far tougher than any men we know. Marty keeps putting her down, but he makes it pretty clear he likes her- at least, I hope it's clear. Uma's got a nasty left swing- she took a nice piece out of my cheek the first time I got in trouble. As I said before, I wasn'__t trying to! Tzi's in a real mood though- I don't know what her problem is, but then, __the __Tzigane isn't really the kind of girl who out and says anything. Marty thinks she's insane. Uma hits him for saying that. I suppose it's easy to think, because she just sort of appears and disappears, like some sort of ghost__-a ghost in the land of the dead-__ flitting in the wind. Sometimes, it's like she doesn't even hear you. Then, it's like she's tuned in incredibly clear__ly and can tell you everything that is happening, has happened, how it all fits together and what will happen and why__. It would be scary…except I'm dead. A dead demon- can't get much scarier than that, I guess. Ma__rty still gets really mad though- I think she freaks him out, and he's annoyed that Uma's so protective of her_

_I'm sorry. It's always so hard to think of anything to write…I wish I knew what you wanted to know. Then I could tell you. I wish I could talk to you… but, we know how that works. Anywa__y, I'm running out of questions to ask. Actually, to be honest, I feel bad about sending this letter, especially __since there's so little in it…but I need to have some sort of connection. And I do__n't think I'll be able to send any letters__ for a long__, long__ time, if again__, judging by the way things are going down here__. I'll keep writing, but the guards don't seem willing to let us up to the Gate__- it's already taken me several tries to get this letter up to you__. I don't know what's going on__. I wish I did_

_Sorry._

_Love you forever_

_Chrono the Sinner_

_PS:__ Hope lies in this stars, the moon and the sun-__ Look into the Light!!_

_PPS: __Pass it on._

Rosette frowned.

Look into the light?

"Is…something wrong?" Father Remington looked at her eyebrows raised. Rosette leaned closer to the paper. Above several of the letters, there were rough patches, like…holes?

"What?" She grabbed the letter, pressing it to the window. Sure enough, above the letters, little dots appeared, like something had been stabbed through the paper. "Sister Kate, hold the paper in place!" she leapt up, scrambling for a pencil- why would he?-

"What- Rosette-"She ignored the baffled nun, finally scrounging a pencil out of her bag. Father Remington squinted at the paper, finger following the lines.

"Read them out!" Rosette ordered, her chest tightening.

"H.E.A.V.E.N.I.N.D.A.N.G.E.R.D.O.N.T.T.R.U.S.T.H.E.A.V.E.N.G.U.A.R.D.W.H.Y.T.U.N.N.E.L.S.D.O.N.T.K.N.O.W.W.H.A.T.P.L.A.N.T.R.Y.H.E.L.P.P.P.S." Kate held the letter, staring at Remington, trying to break the letters up. Rosette bent close to the table, tapping the tip of her pencil along the page. Puzzles…he'd done these type before, when she was first at the Order. They'd passed them back and forth through Elder.

"Hea…" Her eyes widened. "Got it!" She sat back, pushing the paper to the centre of the table.

HEAVEN IN DANGER/ DON'T TRUST HEAVEN GUARD/ WHY TUNNELS/ DON'T KNOW WHAT PLAN/ TRY HELP/ PPS.

"I'm assuming he means the "pass it on"." Kate noted, scanning the letter. "That it?" Rosette nibbled on the pencil. "It's a pretty big "it"." This was Chrono. She ran her hand over the paper again, feeling all the crumpled lines. He'd stuffed it in the envelope pretty quickly.

"That would explain how desperate he was that we get the letter and get it to Heaven." Desperate? How desperate? What did that mean? She looked, but the Father was staring at the letter. "So, what are you going to do with it?"

"Do with it?" Do with wha- oh. She fingered the letter. She had a warning. He'd gone out of his way to get it too her, even though according to the letter, it wasn't easy. Scowling, she stood, letter and work paper in hand. Bastards. If the Heavens Guard laid one hand on him- she still didn't get his "don't trust the guard" comment- they _were_ supposed to be angels, weren't they? "They don't want letters going out, and it looks like he was afraid for them to find _this_ part of the message." She waved the scrap paper. "Or he was worried he'd be caught. So I'm doing what the letter said." She walked over to her counter and picked up the telephone, leaning against the doorframe. She glanced at others, who looked not much older than she remembered. They'd been through so much together, so much that very little threw them for a loop now. She raised an eyebrow at their mirroring expressions as Godren's phone began to ring. She grinned at their shock.

"What? You didn't think there'd be telephones in Heaven?"

Kate just rubbed her temples.

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A/N: No definitions this time I hope you enjoyed reading this (rather long) chapter! -


	4. The Meeting

A/N: I don't own Chrono Crusade. I'm sorry about the wait. I've had to give up my writing time for homework. I'm still waiting on my beta, but I won't get a chance to post for awhile so...if any serious changes have to be made, I'll let you know.

Chapter four: The Meeting 

"So he finally did it? Geez Wren, it's taken long enough- I had to practically tell him! We're almost out of time!"

"I didn't think it would take him that long to pick up on it!" The woman paced, phone cradled against her cheek as she pulled the curtains from the window, staring across a sea of lights to the dark shadow of stone surrounding them all.

"Protecting" them all.

"Oh no? Geez, you should've sent _her_ down here!"

"We needed her up here." She fought to calm her voice, damn him! "Besides, it would've been obvious if he came here and she didn't."

"And this wasn't?" She scowled.

"Don't take that tone you- anyway, they haven't figured us out, have they." She shifted a stack of files from her chair- why didn't they have filing cabinets here?- and sat down, rubbing her feet. Stupid pacing. It was a bad habit.

"No." his reply echoed over to her, sulky. She chuckled, swiping a hank of black hair from her face. Absently, she leaned back and picked up a framed picture, nuzzling it. Soon.

Soon, soon, soon.

"Then it wasn't too obvious, was it." She smirked. "Any other news?"

"Same as usual." There was quiet as he talked with someone on the other end. "Wren, are you sure we can trust him on this one? After everything? What about-"

"I can trust you, right Lucky?" She stood, straightening her dress. It was nearly time.

"Of course."

"Then you can trust him. Good night." Godren hung up the phone, glaring at the damned wall, swallowing.

Soon.

Provided they weren't late, of course.

In the mean time, she had a meeting to attend.

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"Rosette, how could we be late for this!?" Kate shrieked as they hurled over the city. So much for the girl being more on top of things!

"I needed to find my briefcase!" Rosette looked back, her wings beating furiously. "You know you can't enter a meeting unprepared!"

"Since when do _you_ need back up on your arguments?" Ewan groaned, swiping his bangs from his face.

"Since damn Stevenson, that's when! This way- we can reach the debate hall through here!" they thumped onto a small jetty, knocking over several clerks as they bounded through the door and down a hall, screeching to a tangled stop outside the huge black doors. Rosette gulped a breath, patting down her skirt and running a hand over her hair. "Ok." Rosette hesitated, shifting the strap of her abruptly heavy bag. She licked her lips.

"Here goes nothing." She pushed open the door and marched in, frowning when she noticed that no one was sitting at the long conference table that had been set up instead of the usual seats. The room was filled with small groups mingling and flocking together- the High Councillors muttering to themselves, the engineers bickering. Stevenson was arguing heatedly with Amelia. Grey and his partner Golden were talking in low tones to Godren, who was pacing and glaring at the second entranceway, growling "late, late, late". Among them, various other Angels flitted, some with jugs of water, others just talking where the might be- or weren't- heard.

"About time you three got here." Rosette looked up as Cam stalked beside them, note pad in hand and already writing furiously. "'Dren's in a rotten temper. She threw a book at me! The pages got wrinkled and I'm getting a bruise!" He slouched, face red tinged.

Rosette just sighed. "You do realize who you're flirting with, right?"

"I wasn't flirting!"

"Oh sure you-"

"WHAT!"

"What is HE doing here?" Rosette swung around, stumbling on the steps at Kate's furious gasp, her eyes flying around the room until they landed on the source of the woman's shock.

Oops.

"Right- that's-"

"The bastard!" Ewan had tensed and Kate's face had gone white- she was patting her hip looking for something, even as her eyes never left Him. Rosette groaned, slapping herself on the forehead.

"You didn't tell them, did you?" Cam pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing.

"It… might have slipped my mind. You know, uh…with the plot to over throw Heaven and all."

"You mean because you got a letter from your boyfriend." The teen glared at her. She clutched her fist to keep from hitting him.

How could she have forgotten? They didn't time for this, not now! "Look, I'm used to this, I forgot. I've had 50 years to be used to it."

"Used to what?"

She looked up, grinning weakly at the white haired man.

"Oh! Er- Good evening, High Councillor Aion!"

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"Chrono!" he looked up as Rosette barrelled towards him, her recently shorn hair flying behind her. "Hey!" She waved and he smiled, waving back as the sun filtered through his favourite tree, warming the ache from his shoulders.

"Happy birthday, Rosette." he held out a package- he'd wrapped it that morning and she beamed, flinging her exuberant self at him.

"I knew you wouldn't forget!" she squealed, knocking them both to the grass and hugging him. "I knew you wouldn't!" He was still tingling when she rolled off him, tearing at the brown papered box.

"I- I hope you like it," he said quietly, his stomach whining in his gut. "The only colours of wool I could find were red and white- I know it's off-season but… I thought they might be useful later on. You know, in winter… when you're on your missions- as an exorcist." She looked away from the brilliant red cardigan, the white scarf already draped around her neck despite the August heat, her enormous blue eyes sparkling.

"They're beautiful." She pulled on the sweater and he winced- it was huge and the stitches were clumsy, even though he'd done the scarf first to remember how to knit. He hadn't had a pattern to work with, or a size... but still, it looked… he fought to keep his shoulders from slumping. "I guess you have a lot of spare time on your hands, being under surveillance all the time, huh." Suddenly quiet, the girl tucked her knees to her chest, staring at the ground and he bolted up, fighting panic. He'd been trying to cheer her up!

"Well, that- that won't be for much longer!" he announced, his words tripping and stumbling in their haste to escape his confining mouth. "Elder says I should be free to come and help you soon, if I behave-er- and if there aren't any more accidents at the lab."

He blinked, realizing that in his desperate want to cheer her up, he'd grabbed her hands, squeezing her small, warm fingers between his stained claws. That and he was looking very closely at the tiny gold-green flecks in her eyes.

Their faces were much closer together than he ever allowed.

"Oh!" he scuttled away, cringing. Sister Kate would kill him if she was watching!

Rosette laughed; her face swooping back into a grin as she flung her arms around him again: a warm human light wrapped around his chest, expelling the shadows. Relief rushed through him and he squeezed her back awkwardly: besides the fact his stomach was still healing, it was a human ritual he didn't quite understand: a need to touch to express.

In Pandemonium, he'd grown up with no touch but the beat and clout of the constant scraps and battles young demons always instigated as they were taught who to hate. He didn't think anyone had ever touched him with fondness before Mary.

Mary had touched him, but if it wasn't out of necessity, it was only a light brush, a cupping of the face with a concerned look. They had both been creatures of solitude, content with their soft contact, even as a feeling he hadn't know the name of had been there; a need, a thirst. But they never touched more than was acceptable, a hand to cheek, a brushing of shoulders as they walked side by side.

Touch was a treat, a gift rarely given no matter how small; something few would bestow upon any demon, let alone a Sinner like him.

But this beautiful, shining child (she'd hit him if he said it) grinning up at him, her sturdy little arms clamped around his middle, had no such reservations.

She and Joshua had always been touching: squabbling, grabbing, hugging, wrestling, whatever form of contact they could, showing they were together and nothing could pry them apart. When they drew him out of his darkness, he was treated the same, and it had baffled him to be pulled into the tiny bubble of warmth, hugs and smiles.

Now, even with her brother gone- or maybe because of it- and even with eyes streaming down at them, she was hugging him again.

A demon embraced by a Lamb of God.

"Hey, Chrono! Wait here, ok!" Rosette jumped up, waving her hands to push him down. "I have something for you to try!" He sat up, and she was gone again, a low flying angel. A moment and she'd returned, carrying two tan cones of dark coloured ice. "Sister Kate said that since three of us have birthdays this week, we could have a treat! So here you go!"A cone was shoved into his hand. "Eat up, ok?" She plopped down next to him and promptly started chomping on her cone. "Hurry! It'll melt." Inspecting the dark mound, he gave it a sniff- human food was another thing he was still getting used too- and then a tentative lick. He shuddered, closing his eyes, cold flooding his mouth and sweeping aside the dry heat of the day.

"What do you think?" Rosette paused her chocolate bliss long enough to raise an eyebrow at him, attempting to get the chocolate off her chin. He nodded, taking another lick and letting the ice sit in 

his mouth, melting and trickling down his throat. She jabbed him in the side, making him choke, and he coughed until he was blue while she laughed and laughed, tickling him.

"Hey! Ok! Ok! I like it! I like it!" He wheezed, flailing under her insistent fingers.

They had laughed again after that, when he had pointed out that Rosette had ice cream on her nose. She'd hit him, wiped it off and they continued; laughing together and getting brain freeze together and sitting hip to hip together and just being together.

Now, his brain was frozen, but he was alone.

Chrono groaned- it wasn't just his brain that was throbbing, cold- everything was; a dull ice, coiling around his thoughts and dripping down his neck and shoulders, a numbing river all the way to his toes.

Dark, cold, floating, abstract, immaterial.

Somewhere beyond his eyelids, a candle was flickering, lonely and warm in the bowels of hell. Wherever it was, it was too far. Too far for the light to hurt him, too far for the heat to thaw him.

He kept his eyes shut; trying to push the ache from his senses- you could do that. Push it to some corner of your head where you couldn't feel anything- not cold, not pain, not lonely skin. Well, you could at least believe you couldn't feel anything.

Then, in the middle of the night, it would all come crashing back, flooding your senses until you were lost, and floundering in the darkness and nothing. Floundering and debating whether to claw to the surface again, to struggle to the burning light- or, more likely, the void.

He couldn't bear to look. As much as the shadows threatened to consume him, a night without her memory would be worse. One night without it would strip him of the little sanity the wind had left him. He couldn't look. He took a shallow breath and pushed the cold away, plunging back into ink and darkness.

Darkness was safe, when you were too tired to fight.

Darkness was contrast- in it you could see that tiny hope's light.

Wind roared in his ears, calling, calling: Come to me…Coward.

Coward.

That was the only word to describe him.

A murdering coward. He shuddered. The cold was coming back.

Come…

Maybe…the wind scattered the thing trails of thought, echoing in his ears.

Come…

_"We both have our faults Chrono, even so, I'm glad you were with me. But what about you? If you say you've had enough, then fine. If you're tired of fighting, then just stop…" _

The wind swooped in again, drowning out the rest.

Just stop…

He could just stop…

Falling…

He'd fallen then, that time. They'd both crashed to the floor in a tangle of tears and limbs. He'd hugged her, one of the rare times he'd started the contact. And he'd remembered…

_I had to protect you_.

After that, he'd tried. He'd tried hard to be strong for her, to protect her…but he'd failed.

Chrono lifted a hand, dragging it to his eyes- they felt gummy, like something was gluing them shut.

Clank.

His hand jerked short of his face, his wrist wrenching at the end of a chain. He trying unsuccessfully to open his eyes, he tried his right hand, turning his face against the cold stone.

Clank. Again, the hand jerked short.

"What…?" his lips cracked. He tasted blood as he moistened them. Twisting, he sat up, gagging as a chain around his neck snapped him back against the dirt, slapping the breath from his lungs. "Oof!" He forced his heart to slow down. This was just another punishment. They'd caught him trying to deliver the letter- no, not trying. He _had_ delivered it. He hadn't failed this time. His stomach hurt. They must have kicked him hard there- he wasn't sure though. He had been caught. So now they were punishing him. There. Logic. That made sense.

The darkness loomed over his head, the small safety it provided gone as his ears strained over his erratic heart to hear the sounds rattling around him.

Water dripping.

His own harsh gasps.

A clattering of chains.

Wind.

Faraway shouts.

The clank of picks.

There were no sounds of fire; no clattering of chains besides those on his shivering limbs; no excited murmuring.

So stay calm. He swallowed, the dripping of water growing louder. Was he close to the sump then? Where else was there water in hell that wasn't frozen? Had Marty and the others noticed he was gone? They'd (correctly) assume that he had gone to send the letter, but if he wasn't back by the time they finished their shift? Would they come to look for him? Part of him wished they would; that they would get him out of this…but he was more resistant to this sort of thing than they were. It was far better if they didn't come looking.

Don't come looking.

Clomp. Someone was coming, and he tensed, feeling the air shift. Relax, relax, relax! He reminded himself. It was the anticipation that was the worst.

Drip. A cold drop of water landed on his collar bone and slid down his chest. His mouth burned; dry. He swallowed.

"Damned idiot! You awake yet?" he didn't answer, forcing himself to breath normally. "I know you're faking it, stupid." A jolt of pain scoured his side as the guard- or whoever it was- grabbed his arm and unlocked the cuff. He stayed sleep-limp. "It took you bloody long enough, you stupid oaf- are you TRYING to get Heaven torn apart?" His other arm was free. "Honestly!"

A bucket's worth of ice water splashed into his face, and he jerked up with a gasp, nearly hanging himself by the wretched shackles as his eyes snapped open, free of whatever had been gluing them shut.

"Shit, that's _cold!_" he coughed, shaking the water from his face, shivering in the cold air.

"Serves you right for faking sleep, Sinner Chrono." He looked up and Lucky raised an eyebrow at him, crossing his red robed arms. "Yeah, I know your name. Can't keep to yourself, can you?" The guard sat, still glaring at him. "And you can't get your head out of the clouds either, you idiot."

"What do you want." Chrono fought the urge to spit in the man's face. Or punch him. He really wanted to do that, but the chain around his neck was in the way.

Besides: he was supposed to be staying calm. Calm meant you could think. He tugged lightly at the chain on his leg then glowered at Lucky.

The guard rolled his eyes.

"What do I want? Same as you do: a bit of freedom. The ability to see someone in a place I'm not allowed." Lucky leaned back, his hands behind his head in mock relaxation, the keys jingling at his 

waist. "But it's not what I want that's important. And stop looking at me like that." The Guard took off his hat, scratching the stubby horns perched in his shaggy black hair.

"Like what." Chrono growled- how could a Heaven Guard have horns? He glanced around the cavern, but there were no furnishings. Just open, dripping darkness lit by the tiny candle by the door.

"Like you're going to murder me the first chance you get. It makes me uncomfortable." The guard grinned at him- was it a joke? "Alright, alright. Geez, you're a hard case, you know that? I'm patient. Anyone else would've killed you by now." The demon slapped his hat off his knee, his lips pressing into a little line. "Chrono, you and I have something in common."

"Besides you being a demon? I thought they weren't allowed in Heaven."

"Yes, well," Lucky winked. "That's our little secret now, isn't it. And no, we aren't really welcome there."

"What, did you kill a real Guard and sneak in?" he stilled his twitching claws.

"You make it bloody hard to cut a deal, you know. It could be so much easier."

"We're in Hell."

"Ever hear about honour among thieves?"

"That's thieves. We're demons. Dead demons."

"Big difference!"

Where was this going? Chrono sneezed- so much for looking dangerous. Not that he could, lying on the ground in chains and dripping wet. Lucky groaned, running his gloved hands through his hair and patting the sword at his side.

"You still going t' kill me? If you aren't, I can let you out of these stupid chains and talk to you in my office. I'm getting a crick in my neck looking at you like this." The guard rolled his shoulders, the crack echoing in the room.

Chrono sneezed again.

"Now, sit down. Geez, all you Hellions are so thin!" Lucky threw a towel at him as he stepped into the well dim cavern, ducking under the door.

"It might help if they actually fed us more than once every two days." Chrono growled, frowning at the heavy wood, running a claw over it in surprise. Apart from the handle of his pick, he hadn't seen any sign of any material but rock and metal in Hell. Even the soup they had once a month tasted like the stone that hung in the air.

"Hurry up will you! You want to get caught?" Lucky grabbed the chain that still hung around the violet haired demon's neck and yanked him inside, shutting the door with a fugitive look around the hall and setting the candle in a mirrored holder.

Chrono yelled, the sudden light scouring his vision and he stumbled, trying to see beyond the dots of colour blinding him. He was pushed into a chair and the towel was thrust into his face again.

"You're dripping all over the silk throw." Lucky muttered, gesturing at the ratty- and now wet- upholstery. "Don't encourage the mould." Chrono peered around the reeking towel as a second chair scraped back and Lucky seated himself behind a rough stone desk, folding his arms and looking unnervingly like a male version of Sister Kate.

_Sister Kate._ That had been the voice- one of them, of the people he'd given the letter to. So Sister Kate was in heaven. That was good- she was a good leader, if stern. Lucky cleared his throat.

"Have you gained control over yourself?" He scowled. "I have a meeting to attend, and I need your services, former contractor of Rosette Christopher." The Heaven Guard smirked. Chrono stiffened, a chill shooting up his back- he knew?

"I refuse to help you destroy Heaven."

"If you don't help me, then your precious Contractor will die." Chrono felt his claws dig into the cold stone of the chair, a familiar rage twisting through him.

_Rise to the challenge_. He forced the anger away. He would not fall prey to it-

"If you lay one hand of Rosette Christopher, I'll kill you!" The door burst open and he yelped; a pair of enormous arms grabbing him by the scuff of the neck and yanking him aside as Uma, Marty and Tzi piled through the door, crashing in a heap at his feet. Uma blinked, her heart shaped face looking up at him in confusion. "Oops. Wrong demon."

Lucky groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Why? Why me?" A second Heaven Guard stuck his head in, his sword drawn.

"Cap? Should I deal with them?" Lucky waved his free hand, still rubbing his temples.

"No David. Just assume this is normal and close the door. I'll handle this." David nodded; his brown eyes decidedly blank as he turned around and shut the door. Lucky glanced at Marty. "Lock that, will you? And you!" he pointed at Ivan. "Put him down." Chrono grinned weakly at Ivan as the giant released him to land lightly on his feet. Uma jumped up, her hair crackling around her face.

"What are you planning on doing to Rosette?" she snarled. "You traitor! Bastard! How dare you attack an angel!"

"Uma! Can it!"

"Don't you boss me, you chauvinist swine!"

"Chauvinist? What the hell!"

"Silence! All of you!" Lucky banged his hand on his desk, standing and glaring at Chrono. "I'm assuming these are your friends?"

"Damn right we are!" Marty roared, surging forward. Uma and Tzigane grabbed his arms. "Lay off Uma! And yeah, we're his friends. Got a problem with it?" Chrono closed his eyes.

Apparently, he couldn't even get into trouble without starting even more.

"Chrono, if they damage my office, you are paying for it. Now, shut up all of you and sit down before someone hears you all and this gets blown to pieces before it even starts!" The demonic Guard started pacing, grinding his teeth. "Chrono, I need your services."

"I told you I wouldn't help you destroy Heaven."

"Arg! You bloody idiot!" Chrono flattened himself to the chair as Lucky whirled on him, face turning the colour of his uniform. "I need you to finish what you started by sending that letter." He threw up his hands. "I'm not the one who wants to destroy Heaven, you idiots!"

Chrono snorted.

"And that's exactly why you were discussing the tunnels? And why you raised the alarm that I was headed for the main tunnel?"

"In case you didn't notice, if you hadn't over heard me- very bluntly, might I add!- ask that ruddy guard about the tunnels, you would never have wondered about where the tunnels were going! And anyway, if the _rest_ of the guard had caught you, you wouldn't be sitting here right now." He glared at his watch. "Dammit! That lot." he jabbed a finger at Marty, Uma, Tzi and Ivan. "Can you trust them?" Tzi cocked her head to the side.

"He has purple in his aura. Is he an angel or a demon, Uma?" she chirped, her long chestnut braid flopping haphazardly over her shoulder. "And Chrono, why do you have a collar on? Are you a doggy?" The woman giggled, a delicate hand covering her mouth as Uma stepped in front of her.

"Of course I can trust them." Chrono snapped; his head pounding. There was no way this man was telling the truth... was there? He didn't know anything abut the Heaven's Guard. Only that they seemed to be very close to Delacroix, especially Lucky.

Yet he wouldn't have noticed. He wouldn't wonder about the tunnels.

Chrono met Lucky's gaze evenly, trying not to look behind him as there was yet another crash. Who knew what the others were doing. The Heaven's Guard grimaced.

"We're out of time. You better be able to trust them." The demon tossed a handful of thin black cloaks at them. "Put those on and pull up the hoods."

"What-" they pulled on the cloaks, lifting the hoods until their faces were covered. Lucky nodded, his face still hard.

"It'll have to do. Damn, I didn't think I'd have to deal with so many. Take one each." Lucky held out a small wicker basket filled with fine gold rings.

Chrono blinked, staring at the thin gold loop on his palm.

"This is…"

"A temporary halo." Lucky pulled on a cloak of his own, jamming one of the heaven ring on his finger. "Somewhere in human mythology, the gold rings angels wear to give them wings and access to heaven got changed to halos around their head- utter stupidity, that. These are the real halos. These ones will give you about four hours, so that should be enough for this mission."

"Mission?" Uma frowned, still holding Marty back. "What mission?" Lucky grinned.

"Your first mission as Heaven's Horn. Now, for once in you afterlives, keep your rings and cloaks on, shut up and pay close attention to what's going on. You will be tested." Lucky strode to a tall cabinet and yanked open the door. "Through you go." Chrono looked at the row of red uniforms and black cloaks. He looked at Lucky. The others looked at him.

Why not? His afterlife certainly wouldn't be any weirder. Head still swirling with confusion and wind, he stepped into the closet, the his friends at his heels.

The ground beneath them vanished, and in a flurry of black cloaks, flailing hands and panic yowls, they plunged downward.

The ground came harder and far faster than Chrono expected.

"Oof!" he landed, his head hitting with a crack that sent constellations into his eyes. Around him, the others landed in similar fashion, complaining and groaning.

What the Hell had they gotten into?

"Everyone here?" A candle flared to life and Lucky smirked, leaning against the wall of- what was this anyway? Chrono looked around the small chamber. Tzi giggled again.

"I've always loved elevators- will there be funny music?" She sat up, looking around, her eyes wide and bright. Lucky smirked.

"No, no funny music. You're Tzigane, I assume." He stepped forward, leaning down to help the woman up. Uma jumped between them.

"Don't you lay a hand on her, you traitor!" She snarled, face ruddy with fury. "And don't go messing with her head neither!"

"Uma." Chrono patted her shoulder- he didn't have to stretch his arm to do so in the confining space. "Uma, stop. If he was going to do something to us, he would've done it before now. Let him help her up."

"We don't need a Heaven Guard to get to our feet!" Uma snapped, bending and yanking Tzigane up. "See?"

"Oh grow up Uma." Marty snapped, giving her a little push. She swung around and smacked him. Chrono leaned against the wall, staring at the ground. They were changing altitude- his ears were popping. Absently, he rubbed one. How long had it been since he'd felt the "crack" from a changing in altitude?

"Marty!" Uma was squawking, batting at Martin.

It reminded Chrono of Eden.

"Missed me!"

It reminded him of Rosette and Joshua. His heart ached.

"So what are we doing once we get out of here?" He turned to Lucky, narrowing his eyes at the other demon. "You never said what this "mission" was. What are we doing?" The ring around his finger was humming softly, low enough humans wouldn't hear. He flicked a pointed ear in annoyance. He didn't like being used at the best of times.

Now wasn't the best of times.

Lucky shook his head. "You're questioning now?" The small compartment jerked to a halt. "Ah! Now, does every one have their rings and hoods on? Good, now don't take them off. Stick together children; I'll call you when I need you." Whistling Lucky tapped lightly on the wall. With a high pitched whine, the wall was flung open, and the compartment was flooded with blinding, brilliant light.


	5. The Heaven's Horn

A/N: I don't own Chrono Crusade.

Chapter 5: Heaven's Horn

"What the hell is he doing here?!" Rosette grinned weakly at the High Councillor, darting back and grabbing her former leader as Cam caught hold of Ewan before the man could launch himself at the demon.

_Not that she hadn't spent much of her time wanting to do exactly that._

"Aion is one of our highest ranking Councillors." Rosette said calmly. "He's one of Godren's biggest supporters and he's in charge of the entrance committee." And a smug bastard. And a condescending slime bucket, but…

"In other words, he's Rosette's employer." Cam supplied cheerfully, despite Rosette's glower.

"That I am. Good evening Rosette." Aion paused, smiling serenely at the group. "Kate, Remington. So good to see you again, truly."

"I wouldn't call it good you-"

"Tut tut Kate- I was only doing my job." The silver haired angel waved a hand, his violet eyes sparkling. "The meeting's about to start. You four better hurry." He ambled up the stairs, whistling.

Rosette sighed.

One calamity somewhat averted.

"We better go sit down."

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The first thing he noticed as he stepped out of the elevator was the silence. Chrono lifted his head, rubbing a ringing ear vigorously as he squinted in the dazzling light.

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." Marty noted. Around him, the others were blinking and touching their ears too, the echoing screams of the wind fading away as their eyes adjusted to… Chrono's heart jumped as suddenly he was aware of the height of the ceiling above him- a huge dome that towered stories above. His mouth dried as he watched the balconies. So many places to be watched from… stomach twisting and prickles running over his neck, he probed each bright balcony and deep recess. And that wasn't including aerial attacks! He took a small step backward, bumping into Tzi.

The scent of lilacs permeated the air.

"Is this…" Uma stood, staring at the smooth green leaves of a potted tree with their twisting veins, running a cloaked hand over the terracotta pot. Ivan, likewise, was bent over, looking intently at the mosaic on the floor, scrutinizing the hairs-thin gaps between the brightly coloured tiles.

"Good workmanship." He muttered, his deep voice echoing in the vast room.

Chrono stiffened, waiting for a rain of holy arrows to incinerate them.

Instead, Lucky strode across room, reaching out to open a huge dark wood door that was opened quietly before he could grip the shining handle. Chrono frowned, his ears pricking as he heard voices droning, fast and excited as fearful insects on the other side of the wall. Taking a last look at the vaulted ceiling, he frowned and crept towards the door, keeping close to the wall. If he stepped out into the room he'd evaporate into a faint mist of demonic dust, ring or not.

"Hey, wait up!" Uma and the others scooted after him, trotting close on his heels. He relaxed a little then, but kept his ears up and listening, trying to make out the words spoken beyond the door. He could hear Lucky's voice, and several others. Pressing his lips into a flat line, he crouched by the door, peering through the crack that Lucky had left, but all he could see was someone's back and light.

"Chrono, he said to wait there." Uma hissed. Marty shoved her.

"Screw him." Chrono ignored them, pressing a tufted ear to the crack.

"So, they're here?" The voice was eerily familiar. His stomach dropped.

Nonononononononono!

"Yes, well, that wasn't easy. Your brother's a bloody mule." Lucky muttered.

"Move back!" Chrono jumped to his feet, pushing the others behind him as Lucky returned; a second, silver haired angel at his side.

"Councillor Aion," The Guard said grandly, raising an arm to them. "May I introduce my little troupe," Chrono growled, but Aion only smiled, his violet eyes crinkling behind his tiny spectacles.

"Good to see you again, Little Brother." He said, despite the other demon's hostility. "And you needn't glare- we're working together on this one."

"Like hell we are!" Chrono snarled. What the hell was he doing here?! In Heaven? Aion merely shook his head, a sad look passing his face ever so briefly.

"How slow you forgive. I thought you liked to look at other people's perspectives on things."

"He doesn't know Aion." The former demon glanced at Lucky, his eyebrows raised.

"You didn't tell him on arrival?"

"Was I supposed to?" Lucky shrugged, one red coated shoulder rising and falling. "I did as I was told."

"Doesn't know what?" Uma snapped; peering around Chrono's arm, scowling at the angel as a wide eyed Tzigane played Sevens on Ivan's broad shoulders. Chrono wondered briefly if Uma was just feeding off his anger- he'd never told them what had passed during his lifetime on Earth- some of them did talk about their lives, but many just had memories that they wanted to suppress. So no one asked.

"She doesn't either." The pair continued as if they'd never heard her. "So they'll just have to find out now. I don't understand why we had to wait- it's going to cause set backs now, one's that we really can't afford at this point."

"You don't know that, mon ami."

"You five wait here." Aion ignored Lucky's comment, turning to the Hellions. "And Chrono." He smiled that weird sad smile again. "Do pay attention." With a swirl of white and red, the two Heavenly employees strode into the -even larger- room beyond, again leaving the door open a crack.

"Well they sound like a cheerful lot." Marty grumbled, jabbing a thumb at the door. "What say we just get the heck out of here and wait for the goon in red to come and chuck us back in hell, hey?"

"Oh shut up you coward." Uma rolled her eyes, leaning against the engraved panelling that covered the wall by the door, agreeing with Tzigane that yes it was funny that her reflection was warped in the wavy wood. Marty turned to Chrono.

"Don't you think we should just get out of here- what do you think they want us to do? Help? C'mon Chrono." Marty stood, looking at the demon but just groaned in exasperation as he got no answer, returning to a sulking crouch next to Ivan.

Chrono leaned closer to the door, squinting. There was a balcony on the other side, with seats stretching out until the floor dropped away. He could see steps at the end of the short dark carpet, but on either side of that, there were ranks of vacant chairs- the entire thing seemed to be empty, yet voices rose, garbled and incomprehensible from beyond. Swearing under his breath, he ducked Marty's annoyed look and slipped through the door, lying behind a row of seats, his blood pounding in his ears as he waited for something to happen. When it didn't, he moved further ahead, his eyes widening in the darkness of the dimmed area. He hoped they weren't glowing, but he pulled the hood of his cloak lower anyway, just in case, and kept them half-closed. Realizing he was alone, he turned quickly and glanced at Uma, who was still behind the door, the dark splotch that was her hand waving him forward. With a nod he turned, inching up, row by row, until he was perched behind the last row of seats, staring at the arrangement below him.

The floor below him looked like it should've been one of those arena things humans used for sports- he and Rosette had gone to one once, to stop a demon that was plaguing the concession stands. He didn't remember much about it- there wasn't much left to remember; except that it looked a little like a larger version of what he was looking at now…until Rosette had decided to test one of Elder's new bullets…

"The upper balconies are clear." He jumped as Lucky's voice rang through the room as the guard swooped down the steps, approaching a table some twenty chairs long, bowing to a young, dark haired lady-angel in a flowing green dress. Chrono shook his head, turning his eyes back to the floor below as Lucky beamed at the woman, apparently nonplussed by her glower. Around the pair, forty odd angels of varying sizes and nationalities sat, their expressions ranging from bemused to irritated to scandalized.

"You're late! Lucky, this is no time for your antics." She growled without rising from her gilded seat. Chrono leaned forward, but whatever she said besides that was far to low for even his hearing.

Lucky pouted, but didn't slouch. "Ah, but my dear Godren, I brought the goods you asked for- I ran into some…delays." He bowed grandly, flinging and arm up and giving her a cheeky grin. The woman snorted, but her eyes flew from the table's occupants to Lucky to the balcony. Chrono flattened himself to the shadows, as her eyes snapped up, meeting his- crap!

"Very well Lucky." She smiled grimly, smoothing the folds from her dress and straightening her papers as she stood, clearing her throat. "I suppose that will have to do."

"Good evening everyone." She said calmly, spreading her hands. "I'd like to thank you all for assembling so swiftly in the light of this unfortunate- or fortunate- occurrence." A nervous mutter skirted the table, drifting from winged figure to winged figure. Chrono leaned closer, his neck prickling again. The scent of fear was strong.

"We have received today notice that the Hellions may soon attack." Godren smiled at the woman sitting next to her seat.

Chrono jerked, clamping a hand over his mouth to muffle his gasp, staring at the golden haired woman seated between Godren and Sister Kate.

_Rosette_. She appeared as she had when he'd returned to her, her hair pulled into a long braid and cast over her shoulder, but her clothing was different and her eyes looked different and… he stared at the large wings folded gracefully behind her. She sure as hell didn't have those before! An ache started at the base of his throat, rising and filling his mouth.

"…no, this is not the first indication that we have received." Chrono dragged his eyes from Rosette's pale, listlessly beautiful features to Godren, who was still talking. Godren's face seemed pasty and her hands were fiddling with her water glass. She cast a dirty look at Lucky who just smiled. With a sigh, Godren cleared her throat and continued. "About 200 years ago, Lucky came to me with a warning that there was an uprising in Hell- a group named the Rebirth. He explained that he had been watching it for some time, and while it didn't seem to be anything to worry about, he didn't like the numbers of Hellions who had joined it."

"I didn't really worry about it after that either." Lucky admitted sheepishly. "Not until I discovered some of my own men were working for them."

"The Heaven's Guard?"

"They're working with the demons and you did nothing?"

"How many of them are?"

"Should've known they'd be corrupted by those bastards down there!"

Lucky shook his head, opening his mouth to speak, but the dark haired Godren shook her head, her braid swishing minutely. Rosette scowled, snapping a cold comment to the first angel who'd spoken, and he replied with more of the same. Chrono felt a pang burn and freeze his heart- she obviously knew the man well.

"I wouldn't say we did nothing, Stevenson." Lucky shrugged, glaring at the angel Rosette had spoken to. Stevenson then. Dislike scoured his mouth, but he staunched it, swallowing hard.

It had been fifty years, after all.

"We've been very active in attempting to set up defences in the case of this movement being successful, is that not correct, Councillor Aion."

Chrono bit back a low growl as Aion tapped his own notes to the shining table, his face lifted into a slight smirk.

_Overconfident bastard._

"Comrades, you are all well aware of our morality tests of earth." Chrono shivered, listening to the voice that he'd followed from Pandemonium years earlier, and the voice he had spent the rest of his life trying to silence for the safety of human kind. "Every few decades, one of the high Councillors returns to the mortal plain to test the spirits and souls of those who live so that when they die, we will know how to judge their future.

"If so happened that when Milady found out about the uprising of the Rebirth in Hell, it was my time to return to the human plain."

"His plan was simple." The group turned to Godren, who was staring at her hands. "We knew that should the Rebirth succeed in reaching Heaven, we would need those who have experience with battle tactics- notably those used against an attacking group of demons, because-" she looked at Rosette, Sister Kate and Remington. "-as some of us know, those tactics are very different then one would use for humans."

"And so," Aion resumed, adjusting his glasses and raising a delicate eyebrow at Stevenson, "As it was my time to return to Earth, we devised a plan that would test the strength of humans potentially strong enough to protect Heaven."

"I allowed a pregnant human Lillith, to become the core of the Demon world, Pandemonium. The idea was that she would give birth to Aion as a demon child, yet different in that he came from a human body. Aion would then lead a group of demons in revolt against their own kind, setting the demon world in a tizzy and creating many opportune times to test the strength of potential persons." Chrono's stomach roiled at her words.

"So you planned this? Everything that happened to- to us…" Rosette. He looked at her as she looked between Godren and Aion, her face white and twisted. "What about all those people who you killed? What happened to them?" She stared at Aion.

"They too were brought here as people with experience against demons." Godren shrugged. "They are very content, and when their families crossed over, they were reunited."

Ice ran down his back.

"And we didn't plan everything." Aion corrected, sipping from his glass of water."We planned for me to go to earth and cause mayhem. We sent Golden-" he pointed to a honey winged angel with flowing hair. "Down as Mary Magdalene, which led to Mister Ewan Remington's interest in me. We sent the apostles, creating a dastardly difficult case for Kate Valentine. We gave the apostles their powers and took the brother of Rosette Christopher. Whoever had potential was tested so that when they came to Heaven and the Rebirth attacked, we would have a means of stopping the calamity. But we didn't plan everything."

"And it's a good thing, too." Lucky crossed his arms, putting his booted feet up on the table. "If everything had gone as planned, we wouldn't have our latest weapon."

"A weapon?" Chrono chuckled as Rosette perked up, a light that had been missing from her eyes drifting back, just a little, although she kept looking hard at Godren. "A gun?" Lucky laughed.

"No." he smiled at her. "Something far better. An intelligence system created by the very person we never thought would exist."

"I thought you controlled everyone's existence on the planes?" Stevenson said slowly. The angel next to him nodded. Godren flinched.

"Well… normally we do. I'm not really sure what happened."

"So there was someone in the equation who wasn't supposed to be there?" Rosette raised an eyebrow at Godren. "That's…"

"Useful." Aion said, his voice low and smooth. "Besides, you benefited from our little "flaw", Miss Christopher."

Chrono sat, watching the confusion on Rosette's face as she turned to Godren, his own heart beating quicker.

Godren lowered her eyes. "Aion…is correct. We never intended for him to have a little brother, much less that he would eventually touch all tested parties." Rosette's mouth fell open. "Or that he would love you enough to… desire communications after the grave."

Chrono blinked, dropping back into one of the seats.

_He wasn't supposed to exist? Then how the hell was he here? Were they going to…make him not exist then?_

"The letters?" Rosette looked stunned. "You mean he was sending me intelligence in code the whole time and I didn't know?"

"No. What Sinner Chrono has been sending you for the past- what? Fifty odd years? – is- so far as I know- nothing but his honest feelings for you." Lucky smiled gently at her, and Chrono flinched, retreating further among the seats as the demon looked up towards him. "However, it gave me an idea. We need spies in Hell. Thus, I tracked down as many Hellions as I could who might have loyalty to Heaven, and am arranging a group of my own to combat the Rebirth." Lucky raised a hand. "My angelic friends, may I introduce to you, the Heaven's Horn."

Chrono looked up at the hand on his shoulder. Uma grimaced and he stood.

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A/n: Firstly, I'm sorry this chapter is so short. It was originally longer, but I thought that would be a bit much. Secondly, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. Shortly after my last update, I had some personal issues come up- nothing bad, (some very good) just very different and enough to change a lot of things in varying ways and throw me for a loop. I'm finished grade 11 now, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to write more over summer vacation.

Thank you very much for your patience and I apologise for my writing as I haven't written anything since my last chapter update. :S

Love to live and live to love

Snekochan


	6. Introducing the Hellions

A/N: I don't own Chrono Crusade. This was actually part of the last chapter, but I had some issues with it, so I split it in two. I still have some problems with this, but I haven't actually written anything for awhile (the last chapter was actually written in March), so I apologise ahead of time.

Chapter six: Introducing the Hellions

Her head was going to explode. And judging by the looks on the angels surrounding her, theirs were too. Rosette groaned, burrowing her face in her hands, peering between her fingers at Godren. The Angel was staring at the balconies, twisting her braid around her finger, winding it tighter and tighter.

The finger suddenly became a child, struggling in the black strands wrapping around and inescapably around.

Rosette bit her lip, shaking her head and turning her eyes to her empty glass, trying not to look at the thin fingers so near her own.

Godren…

How could she? How could she have planned for the deaths of so many, many people? Aion she could understand but…

How could she? And… she squeezed her eyes shut. A million long doused fired grazed her eyelids.

"_Correct. We never intended for Aion to have a little brother, much less that he would eventually touch all tested parties."_

Bile scoured her mouth as she thought, once again, of what life without him would have been. If they had planned everything, how could they not see that she would never have survived without someone by her side?

A hand curled over her shoulder, and a soft smile formed on a stranger's face.

"Once we knew he existed, Rosette, we didn't know what he would do." Godren's fingers tightened, squeezing her shoulder even as she tried to shrug her off, to pull away. "Golden, one of Aion's partners, suggested testing him too. She went to Earth as Mary Magdalene to test Ewan, but also for the purpose of testing Chrono to see what emotions a full demon was capable of. Once Chrono existed, he spent his whole life as an…"

"Anomaly." Aion filled in. Rosette glared at his tanned, smirking face. He was in on this too. He always had been messing with people and he still did! Godren chuckled weakly.

"As a demon born of a human and in love with first a holy woman and then a nun? You don't say." She tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear as Lucky raised a hand, his booted feet on the cool stone tiles as he rose.



"My angelic friends, may I introduce to you the Heaven's Horn."

"Devils?"

"We're working with demons?"

Her head still pounding, Rosette looked up as a very quiet group of black robed figures stumbled over the stairs, huddling tightly together around one of their number who seemed to be the leader.

Fire shot from her eyes to the rest of her as she looked at the centre figure.

A pair of red eyes blinked at her from beneath the shadow of his hood, glowing softly and wide. Godren smirked, keeping her hand on her shoulder as the figure stopped a few metres away, the others bumping into him as he shook his head quickly. Rosette's mouth opened but no words could force their way out.

The Hellions were silent.

The angels were silent.

Lucky grinned.

The angels glared and the Hellions backed up a step.

Rosette met eyes with the red-eyed Hellion again.

The angels glared.

The red eyed hellion tipped his head.

Her toes curled in her boots.

The angels glared.

"Work with devils? We don't even know what they look like!" Stevenson's glass thumped to the table, water sluicing over the rim and dripping to the floor.

"There is only one demon in our number. That's me." Rosette choked as a ghost of Chrono's adult voice creaked from his hood. "The rest are humans, so far as I know. I don't know who the rest of the force is outside of my comrades here." A black draped arm lifted slightly at the four others behind him.

"As for seeing them, it is for their own safety that they aren't seen." Lucky was frowning, staring at the table. "They can't be touched by the light or they will cease to exist…or at least be burned to ash." For the umpteenth time that evening, Rosette felt nausea roll through her stomach. Her legs tensed, her wings quivered- oh to snap them open!- but Godren's hand remained tight on her shoulder.



He was so damn close, and no damn wall between them but the table!

"Even just one!" Stevenson snarled. "How dare they violate Heavenly grounds?"

"They're here because they have the ability to go where we can't." Godren snapped.

"And you think we can trust those bastards?"

"If you are trying to protect Heaven, sir," Chrono stepped forward, stumbling a little as if unsure where the floor lay beneath his feet. "then you can trust us." He was looking in her direction again.

"Yeah!" Rosette looked at a second Hellion, this one much smaller in stature than Chrono and female, judging by her voice. "We have no love for Delacroix."

"Delacroix?" Stevenson scowled. "Who the hell is that?"

"The leader of the Rebirth." Lucky said smugly. "A rather conniving _human_, actually."

"Your point?"

Lucky shrugged.

"Each member of the Heaven's horn will be paired up with one of our number." Godren tapped a thin hand on the table. "That partner is the only one who will see their face, for their own safety." She looked hard at the Hellions. "This is the most dangerous for you, naturally, so we thank you." Chrono inclined his head stiffly.

"Is that all?" Stevenson growled, folding his arms.

"Not a word of this is to leave this room. You all know your oaths, Stevenson." Godren flicked a hand at him, shrugging. "But yes, we are finished. You may all leave except for Remington, Luck-"

"CHRONO!" Rosette threw herself into the air, lunging over the table into the demon.

"Rosette, Rosette, Rosette, Rosette, Rosette." Tense, cool arms folded around her, flinching slightly when they brushed her wings.

She opened her mouth, but sound vanished- what could she say? I missed you? I love you? Are you hurt? What did they do to you? I love you? -but the words died in her throat, murdered by a sob, so she just held him, cold and solid and there. Here. In Heaven. Not in Hell.

Finally, she looked up into the shadow that was his face, laughing weakly.

"I didn't think…"

"…I'd get to see you again." Rosette looked up at him but didn't release her arms from his middle, her fingers knotted in the rough, rank cloak. His hands, still shrouded in black, ran over her hair, 

her face, her shoulders. "I thought I'd go crazy. I would've, without the letters." His voice rushed out, fast and low as a brook.

"I would've too, if you hadn't sent them." Her voice was working again, barely- she just wanted to soak in his. "I wanted to write back to you. I did write. Hundreds of letters. I wanted to send them." She burrowed her face in him again.

"Ahem." Rosette felt him cringe and lifted her head reluctantly.

They looked towards Lucky's cough, the guard standing with his arms folded. "Hate to break up your reunion- it's ever so sweet," he smirked. "but we _do_ have work to do. And a time limit." He looked pointedly at Chrono.

"I hate agreeing with Lucky," Godren said, striding over. Rosette straightened her back. "but he's right. We're running out of time." Rosette hesitated then slowly released her companion, her skin already missing the pressure. He made a small noise and caught her hand, entwining their fingers, and tugging her close to his side as they followed Godren into a small conference room.

"Hey Chrono!" Rosette looked around him at a bouncing hellion. "So that's Rosette?" It had to be the female one who'd spoken earlier.

"She's like a butterfly!" A second Hellion, also female sounding came up on Rosette's other side.

"Are all your new friends girls?" Rosette glared up at him. Another hellion laughed.

"Don't be jealous, dame. The girls tried, but he's yours." Rosette started as the Hellion slugged Chrono's shoulder.

"Yours, yours, yours! He dreams about you too!" the second female chirped. Rosette blushed, her head spinning, still trying to get around the fact that he was standing next to her, his fingers warming against her palm.

"Tzi's right." She was about to ask which was Tzi, when Godren clapped her hands.

"Welcome, all of you." She nodded to them, seating herself at the smaller version of the table they had just left. "I want to thank you all," she looked at the Hellions, "for agreeing to help with this. Sit down, sit down." She spoke slowly, rounding each work like she was talking to children. Rosette frowned, but Chrono tugged her into a seat, taking the one next to her. She scooted her chair next to his in the confusion of finding places, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand.

"Alright then." Lucky cleared his throat. "You ten, five hellions and five angels, are going to be our intelligence system. Each of you will work with one of the other group, the hellions passing encrypted information up to their angel."

"Why encrypted?" Golden asked, blinking large blue eyes in confusion.



"We don't know who's going to pick up the letter in between." Lucky folded his arms. "And what's more, there will be at least five codes, because each pair will be using a different code, if not two, so that…"

"If one of us is caught, then we won't give away the others." Chrono filled in. Lucky nodded.

"The situation isn't ideal, because you five all know one another, so you will be able to give names if you're captured." Rosette shivered, her belling locked in ice. She didn't want to think what capturing would entail for them. "The letters will pass through me, but each Hellion will have five temporary rings, so that if anything should happen, they can deliver the letters themselves."

"So we get to be spies." The hellion who'd hit Chrono's shoulder leaned back in his chair.

"With all the consequences that arise with that duty. We have to do anything and everything possible to stop the Rebirth, and we will stop them." Lucky nodded to Godren.

"And what happens then?" They turned to Remington. He had remained silent, listening. Now he was scowling. "What happens if we do succeed in saving Heaven?" Godren raised an eyebrow.

"We…celebrate?"

"What happens to the Hellions." Ewan clarified; his voice cold. "Will you send them back to hell?" Godren and Lucky looked at each other, and Rosette felt a large pit open up in her chest. Around her, the Hellions shifted, dark cloaks rustling.

"You're… you're not, are you?" She stared at Godren, clutching the cold fingers under her hand tightly. She _wouldn't_.

Then again, she had planned the deaths of millions of people. Rosette swallowed, her friend's face suddenly appearing far less innocent than she had thought. Godren grimaced.

"We'll decide that afterwards." The lead angel shrugged. "Right now, we're short on time, so we have to set up the pairs." Godren's clear eyes scanned the group. "Lucky, do you want to or should I?"

"You go ahead." Lucky shrugged, his heel tapping.

"Ewan." She pointed at the hellion who'd called Rosette a 'dame'. "You're working with-"

"Marty."

They shook hands, and Godren nodded approvingly.

"Golden." She pointed at the hellion Chrono had called Tzi. "Grey," she indicated the giant Hellion "You'll be working with Ivan. Rosette," she hesitated, and Chrono's fingers twitched. Rosette smiled up at him, resting against his bony shoulder.

Godren pointed to the Hellion sitting to Chrono's left.



"Rosette, you'll be working with Uma."

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	7. No Explanation Necessary

A/N: It's been a year since I've updated this story- I'm very sorry! Things kind of… got a little hectic. They were hectic when I started this story and they're still crazy now. So, under the conclusion that I cannot leave writing until life has calmed itself down since it will continually fail to do so, I have decided to continue LFH. I can't guarantee frequent updates though- maybe one every month or so. Regardless, this story shall be completed! I hope you enjoy!

~Snekochan

Disclaimer: I don't own Chrono Crusade

_Godren pointed to the Hellion to Chrono's left._

_"Rosette, you'll be working with Uma."_

Letters from Hell, chapter seven: No Explanation Necessary

For a moment, the dim room became unbearably bright, unbearably warm, blinding her and choking her to match her sudden deafness.

_You'll be working with Uma. _

Then, everything was drowned out by a cacophony as voices shrieked to the vaulted ceiling.

"Hey!"

"Are you bloody mad?" Ewan's partner, Marty, was on his feet, his chair toppling with a crash.

"What the hell!" Golden, generally impassive, spat out a mouthful of water, her wings dropping open.

Rosette opened her mouth but her throat was closed as she gaped at the lead angel sitting before them, calmly tucking her hair back into its braid. The clawed hand clutching hers began to shake, then stilled. She swung to face him, her heart constricting as he bowed his head.

_Fight back!_

"Godren-" her squeak was masked by Uma.

"You can't honestly do this!" The Hellion leapt up, banging the table hard enough to knock over Godren's glass. "There's no bloody way!"

"Is there a reason you cannot work effectively with Ms. Christopher, Uma?" Godren didn't rise, righting the glass with spidery fingers. "Chrono, you're to work with Kate." She waved the hand at the demon, nodding to Lucky. The Guard rolled his shoulders and scraped his chair back across the stones.

"But-" Rosette felt her lips move. Her head seemed light. Godren's eyes, wide and placid, blinked dark lashes at her.

"Rosette?"

"Oh, don't start mewing." Lucky muttered. "We don't have time for it."

"Speaking of which." Godren gave him a sharp look and Lucky rolled his eyes.

"We have an hour." He drawled.

"Good." Godren nodded. "Now, friends, if you would join your partners in the meeting chambers, you can decide upon your method of communication before our counterparts must return below."

"Why can't Chrono and I work together!" Rosette lurched up as her voice finally worked, glaring at her partner- why hadn't he spoken? "Godren-"

Godren met her glare with a smile. "Rosette." she glanced up at the others. All remained standing, Hellions and Angels divided by the long table. "Go on and start. Kate and Uma, you go ahead, your partners will join you shortly." Rosette seated herself as the others were pointed to a door, smiling weakly at Kate and Ewan as they looked between her and her former contractor. After a moment, the door shut and all was quiet again, the only noise she could hear being her rapid breaths and Chrono's trembling ones.

A tomb.

Godren leaned forward, resting her chin upon her fingertips. Lucky raised an eyebrow, but she glared at him and he refrained from speaking as the lady angel sat up straight.

"Rosette, I know you," she glanced at the Hellion. "and Chrono have been separated for many years. I understand, really I do."

"Like hell." Rosette growled, her hands clenching. "Like hell you do! Did you spend fifty years writing letters you could never send to someone who wanted to see you more than anything?" Her vision blurred, but a squeeze to her arm cleared it. She turned her head slightly, watching the red glow of his eyes under the hood.

Her back snapped straight and she glared at her… Superior. "We're working together."

"Rosette, think about it." Godren tapped her fingers, her nails clinking on the glass.

"Think quickly, because you're wasting time." Lucky flicked his wrist. "Those rings won't last forever. We don't want our correspondents to be incinerated before they can send back information." Beside her, Chrono flinched.

"I think we're aware of that Lucky." Godren sniffed, "Why don't you go see how the others are fairing?" She shot him a pointed glare, tugging at the long green sleeve of her dress before turning back to Rosette. "Rosette, it's for your own safety. And ours too." The angel stood, flapping her enormous white wings. "Our job here is to secure safety for the current and future inhabitants of Heaven. That is my foremost and your foremost objective." She turned to face them. "Nothing must come before that, as hard as that is to accept. You lived with that before you came here, and while I dislike asking you to do so again, but there is no choice. Pairing you is too obvious. In all honesty, I shouldn't have you two one this at all, but as I've expressed, you've been tested and proven."

"As a pair!" Rosette barked, slapping her hair from her eyes. "We went through everything together! We faced everything together!" The dark braid flicked, a lazy river as Godren shook her head.

"Untrue. Chrono faced Aion alone, you faced Joshua alone, Chrono went through the situation with Mary Magdalene alone and you passed the final seven years of your life without him." Rosette nudged her demon as he slouched. Against her skin, his palm had been growing steadily clammier.

"We had no choice!"

Godren strode over, her hands white knuckled on the table as she leaned in close, eye to blue eye.

"You have no choice now, Rosette." Rosette jerked back as the angel's eyes flashed green. "Do you understand, Ms. Christopher?" Her breath seemed to have frozen, her eyes, her ears unable to comprehend. What had happened? Why?

"We understand." Chrono's voice rasped, as if over dried grass, as his chair scooted back. Godren jumped, as though the sound was a snake, catching her unawares. The demon rose to his feet silently, drawing the ex-nun up with him. "Lucky is correct in that we have little time to waste if we desire to prevent the Rebirth from arising." Godren stared at him, and the hairs on the back of Rosette's neck tingled as the woman's pretty brow furrowed, questioning.

"Godren!" Her voice rang sharp in the room. Suddenly, the name didn't feel right on her tongue. How could it? "_Milady_. Can- _may_- Chrono and I- speak for a moment, alone?"

"There's no time." The Angel turned away. "Go to your partners."

"But-"

"You are dismissed" Godren kept her back to them as they walked to the door, her spine straight until the door shut.

Then, Godren, mayor and leader of Heaven, dropped to the stone tiles of the floor and began to weep.

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"I can't believe this!" Rosette growled as the door swung shut behind them. "I won't let them _do_ this! They won't!" She turned on her heel, her golden wings twitching, shaking. He swallowed, his shoulders burning.

"Don't worry." The hallway was well lit, the walls coloured cream and gold and long shining windows admitting rays and waves of sunshine. Squinting his aching eyes against the brilliance, he could see pinpricks of angels, radiant and wheeling among the buildings.

No wind hindered their flight.

"Don't worry? _Don't worry_?" She stared at him, her eyes- as blue as ever- narrowing. He cringed, swallowing the warm, still air and eyeing a gaping passage before they crossed its turn. "You didn't say a _word_ in there! Not a word, not a complaint! You don't want to work with me? Is that it? You didn't even ask about the fact that she won't say whether she'll let you in here after we kick the Rebirth's ass!" They rounded a corner, leaving the windows and the wheeling angels behind. He welcomed the shadows.

"Rosette-" The woman stopped; her jaw working as she glared up at him. His mouth opened, but his voice was still caught somewhere in his chest.

How could he explain? That his voice was too loud here, echoing in these silent halls. That if he spoke, someone would act on those glares from the board meeting. That they were right, he was tainting this place. That there was not point asking what they both already knew.

He shut his mouth and looked away.

Rosette sighed, scrubbing her face on the back of her sleeve. "M' sorry."

"There's…" he flinched at the noise, rendering the air. "Don't be sorry."

"It's about time." Lucky lounged against a doorway, his dark bangs raked behind his ears. "You guys ever hear about punctuality?"

"I've also heard about not signing a contract without knowing all the consequences." Rosette growled. Chrono tensed as Lucky straitened his body, raising an eyebrow at the blonde. For a moment, the demonic Heaven Guard stared down at her, his thumbs looped through his belt.

Then he gave a white fanged smirk.

"But you two never were ones for following rules, were you? Would you two care to join us?"

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Kate paced around the oak panelled room. The sun washed through the honey coloured glass, soaking the dark wood chair, the oversized sofa and her skin. She rubbed her arms and shivered.

She was a leader. She had directed people in dangerous times, had known the benefits and dangers of militant friendships. Although the bonds were excellent in that they allowed for better communication, and she had witnessed many skilled teams, the loss of a comrade was taken that much harder for the partnerships. And, in espionage, the less the enemy knew about your team, the better.

But even understanding this, her stomach roiled.

"I'm sorry I'm late." She halted her pacing as the cloaked figure stiffly closed the door behind him with a soft click, resting his forehead against it for a moment. Then he turned, silently striding over to the desk and sitting on the wooden chair, his covered hands folded quickly in his lap, head lowered.

"What did Godren say?" Kate sat opposite him on the couch, her wings jerking to catch her balance as she sank into the plush covering. The demon shook his head. A wisp of a violet bang appeared and vanished with the motion.

"There's nothing to say." He turned slightly so the sun hit the side of the hood and not his shadowed face, a hand ducking into the shadowed, presumably to tuck the rogue strand back. "We know the answers."

He sounded dead, his voice hollow, echoing. She coiled her chilled fingers in her lap.

"Chrono, you mustn't-"

He raised his head, and two dots of red flickered from the darkness.

"We should begin, Sister Kate." He hesitated over saying the name he'd known- she flinched, remembering how even in life he'd rarely addressed her. "I only have a few minutes left before I'm to return below."

Kate swallowed, the sun scalding her bare arms as she watched his still figure. "Of course," she replied, and took out her notebook. "Lucky said we would be monitoring the Heaven's Guard and the tunnels. Something about you spending a lot of time there?" From the way the Heaven's Guard had said it, she was fairly sure the demon hadn't have a choice in his place of residence.

"Moving a worker like me would probably arise some suspicion, yes." Kate lowered her eyes to the note book, the one she had received on entering heaven for chronicling her life here. Chrono turned his head slightly, looking towards the door. Somewhere in the room outside, she cold hear voices rising and falling sharply, followed by a crash.

Sighing, she began to jot down the alphabet.

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A/n: It's very hard to get your head back into a story when you haven't written in it for a long time, so I'm sorry if the characters seem a little off- although, you have to remember they've all just had their safe little worlds rattled beyond belief. So that's bound to make you freak out a tad. There should also be more action in the next chapter as our companion's work begins!

I've planned out a fair amount of the rest of the story, so hopefully I'll be able to update about once a month- actually, I was hoping to write more often, but… just when I thought that I got a phone call… duty calls. I should probably change my phone number.


	8. Be Seeing You

A/N: Happy April everyone! It's actually…semi warm out here in Newfoundland, and I saw my first crocus of the year yesterday- obviously, global warming is having an effect here, since normally we don't get spring until June! Actually, the usual joke is that Newfoundland only has two seasons, winter and fog, but I think it really depends on the year… and when the next snow storm comes!

But many things come with April. This year they include Easter holidays and my "pre-graduation" ceremony. And lots and lots of physics tests. And hopefully and acceptance into an international summer physics camp, since I applied for it and would desperately love to go.

But there's something else here in April!

The new chapter of Letters from Hell, which I hope you enjoy!

Happy reading, and best of Spring.

~Snekochan

Disclaimer: I don't own Chrono Crusade

_Chrono turned his head slightly, looking towards the door. Somewhere in the room outside, she cold hear voices rising and falling sharply, followed by a crash. _

_Sighing, she began to jot down the alphabet._

Letters from Hell, Chapter eight: Be Seeing You

Rosette swallowed the hard stone resting on her tongue, but it caught in her throat as she stared at the scrolled door of the conference room. Like the surrounding offices, she knew it would be small and oak panelled. She and Amelia each had one on the next floor, where they planned out their arguments for cases. Sometimes Cam or Godren would visit them, the boy breathless in his excitement about something he'd discovered in the records, Godren bringing the latest news from the Council about new arrivals.

Rosette shook her head, scraping her hair back into its braid before gripping the doorknob.

"Are you going to get to work or not." Lucky jeered, dropping onto one of the green backed armchairs and kicking his thick boots across the floor. They left streaks of black mud. "I thought you weren't someone who wasted time." Rosette let out a growl, whirling on him.

"No! I didn't waste time, because I was trying to save someone I loved! Two someones I loved!" she hissed, her hands rolling into twitching fists. "Now? Now, who am I trying to save? You? Stevenson? Certainly not myself! Maybe we should _let_ heaven be overrun!" Lucky quirked an eyebrow, leaning back in the chair and grinning at her.

"Sounds like blasphemy, Rosie-girl. Isn't that a bit selfish?"

"Then I'll be a selfish person. Why are those people-" she jabbed her finger at the row of doors behind which the Heaven's Horn members were coming up with codes to protect a life they didn't lead. "Why are they in Hell!"

"Because neither life nor the afterlife are fair. Deal with it. That and it's just easier." Rosette swallowed her hot breathe before it could rise again, staring at the Heaven's Guard. He was lean, with an angular face that looked like it should be smiling, laughing, not smirking at her like she was a- a- she narrowed her eyes. Easier.

She turned her back on the Guard and strode into the conference room, slamming the door behind her, pausing as she caught sight of her partner.

The woman- she had to trust from the voice and name that she was female- was completely covered by the dust grey robe, and even as it billowed around her as she scrambled to get her feet off the shiny oak desk, no part of her was revealed.

"Dammit!" Rosette stared as the Hellion leapt to her feet. "They sent you here after- the bastards! It isn't fair!" she snarled, kicking at the desk before standing stiffly across the room from her.

"I'm Uma." She said, finally, and held out her cloaked hand. "Good to meet you, Rosette. Or it would be under other circumstances."

"Likewise." Rosette smiled, matching the Hellion's firm shake and seating herself in one of the straight backed chairs. "So, do you have any ideas about what we should use?" Uma grunted, dropping into the seat across from her.

"Not a click, I'm afraid. Codes were never my specialty." The Hellion shrugged. "You don't use them much on a farm."

"You used to live on a farm?" Rosette raised an eyebrow. Uma shrugged, flicking at the push wheel telephone resting on a stack of _Angel's Angle_ and _Amplitude_ magazines, swinging the dial back and forth.

"Modernizing the Soviet Union didn't do much for the farms. So, letters as numbers, code phrases…"

"Those are relatively easy to solve though." Rosette tapped her fingers on her lips. "Wait a minute!" She stared at Uma's hand. "Are there telephones in Hell?"

"What?" Rosette picked up the receiver, then set it down again with a solid thump.

"Telephones."

"I suppose so, but we never get to use them. It's only for the office workers." Rosette jumped to her feet, rubbing her chilled hands and pacing back and forth in front of the desk, her wings twitching.

"I'll bet Lucky has a phone in his office- and, he might even have the Heaven's Telephone book. Maybe. Do you think you could find out? We can use a basic letter-to-number code for now, but if he has a phone book, I have a better way of doing it."

"What, I give you information over a tapped line?" Uma crossed her arms. "You aren't making any sense."

"You use page numbers, column numbers, etc, to locate a number which corresponds to a letter." Rosette chewed on a hang nail. Uma stood, leaning against the window and looking over her shoulder at the sweeping arches and the wide brick side of the city's central library.

"Might work." Uma tugged her hood lower over her face. "But I don't know how I'm going to get into the offices."

"Can you try?" Rosette dropped onto the chair again, glancing at the clock. They were almost out of time.

"Certainly. But I'm not calling you up to confirm." Out in the main corridor, a bell started to ring, and someone pounded on the door.

"Hey, Uma!" it was Ewan's partner- Martin? "We gots to get movin'."

"Alright. Be seeing you, Rosette." The blonde angel rushed after them into the hall, but they were already racing up the corridor, their cloaks swinging behind them. Swearing, she darted after them, back into them main town office, suddenly blinking against the brilliant light. Angels backed up against the walls as the Hellions passed, whispering among themselves.

"What'd you say?" The hellion who'd called for Uma screeched to a stop half way across the tiled floor of the lobby, glaring at an ash-winged angel.

_Stevenson._ Rosette felt her teeth start to grind.

"I said, enjoy your trip back where you belong." The angel spat, smirking. "I'm going to need a lot of air fresheners to get rid of your stench."

"Why you-"

"Marty! Not now!"

"Can it Stevenson!" Rosette stormed up to the other angel, catching a glint of red from under Chrono's hood as he grabbed Marty by the arms, pulling him back. The demon continued dragging his friend back, for the lanky Hellion was trying to pull his way free.

"Shaddup Chrono! I can take him!"

"Pathetic." Stevenson snorted, crossing his arms, his wings spreading. "Pathetic." With a final chortle, the angel swooped up, circling up and up and up until he landed on the upper reaches and strolled down one of the halls.

"Get back here you damn pansy!" Marty roared, twisting and swinging at Chrono's face.

"Quit your whining Marty!" Uma stalked over, "Ivan!" With a sullen sigh, the largest of the Hellions grabbed him, letting Chrono drop to the side.

"Are you lot trying to get incinerated?" Lucky snapped, holding open a set of doors at the far end of the lobby. "Let's move it!" Squabbling and trying to shush Marty, the group clattered through the doors and Rosette felt a surge rush through her.

They were leaving.

_Chrono_ was leaving.

God dammit, not again! She raced across the lobby, nearly colliding with the demon as he paused in the doorway to look back at her.

"Oof- Rosette?"

"Chrono, hurry up will ya?" She ignored Lucky and wrapped her arms around his chest, shuddering at the rank odour of Hell on his clothes. Before he could hug her back, she stepped away, glaring at him.

"If you get yourself hurt, I'm assigning Uma to smack you, you got that?" She growled, swatting his head. "You damn well better come to the next meeting." Chrono cringed, chuckling.

"Wouldn't miss it, Ma'am." He saluted, then caught the hand she was shaking at him and gave it a light squeeze. "Be seeing you."

"Chrono!" With a final squeeze, the demon turned and followed the others into what looked like an ivory elevator. Lucky snapped something about wasting their time and then the scrolled cage slid shut and with a whirr, began to descend.

Rosette stood, staring at the vacant gap for a long while. The inner elevator had gone, but there was no hole- a large metallic flap had swung into place over the shaft, preventing the Hellions from escaping up it, she assumed.

Or an angel from going down it.

She stalked up to the cage, gripped its pale rungs in white knuckled fingers. Somewhere below, Chrono and his friends would be getting assignments and risking their lives, while she stood in this- this-

"Dammit!" She snarled, kicking the gate. "Why didn't he just let them infiltrate the city!" Then-

"Rosette!" Before she could aim a second blow, Cam tumbled down from on of the upper floors, his gangly winging snagging in one of the broad leaf ferns on the second floor before he landed, his glasses bouncing off his nose. "Whew- hey!" he grinned, fixing his glasses. "Sorry about that. Anyway, Godren needs to speak to you in her office-"

"About what?" Rosette muttered.

What more did she need to hear from that… "I'll see you later, Cam." Grinding her teeth, Rosette leapt into the stifling air, streaking through one of the arched entrances and out into the dimming sky.

She wheeled, higher and higher, a warm breeze tossing her skirt, her feather, her hair as she rose past the shining shop lights, the sparkle of apartment windows. Beyond each light, she could see Angels, each living their own afterlife, oblivious to the occurrences that were shaking the lives of so very few. The steady flap of her wings faltered as she spotted two teen angels, curled atop the spires of the library, talking and shyly peeping at one another. Suddenly a third angel thumped onto the roof behind them, an older man, swiftly shaking his fists at the female angel and growled something to the male, a sharp bark that sounding disgustingly like "not good enough". Rosette clenched her teeth and flapped harder, until she rocketed towards the orange moon, her wings on fire.

It was the same as earth.

She lit on an arch, sitting and tucking her skirt around her bare legs, shivering. Her eyes stung, but she shook her head deftly, staring over the twinkling city, watching as the sparkles spread out like a quilt over the buildings until they jolted to a black halt at the wall.

There, all light was snuffed, eradicated less it light the lands of evil.

Heaven forbid.

_Godren_ forbid.

"Damn her!" Rosette slapped the rough stone, standing and pacing the arch. Thirty steps from the center to the far building. Sixty steps all the way to the other side. Sixty back again.

"_Be seeing you."_ When? When would they see one another? Since they weren't partners, who was to say they would be allowed to see each other without "jeopardising the mission"?

She dove from, her ears aching at the change in pressure, the wind.

Wind. She shuddered, landing on her pier and opening the door to her apartment, sticking the key back into her pocket, wishing for the umpteenth that there was a point in calling out "I'm home".

"Damn her!" Rosette slammed the door closed behind her, the golden sails of her wings twitching and half-flapping, knocking papers from the desks.

Cases, cases and cases. Was she supposed to go back to work tomorrow? Like nothing had changed? And what was the point? "Let people into here- why'd I want to do that? Let them come and take Heaven! We'd be better off!" Still growling, she flicked on the light, sweeping the papers into thick piles.

"You know; if you just shove the papers around like that, you're just going to make more work for Amelia, and she really won't like that." Rosette swore, her hands instantly swooping to her hip for a gun that hadn't been there in fifty years. The light in the kitchen came on and Godren smiled tersely at her, leaning against the cupboards and twirling a small key on a leather string around one pale finger.

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A/n: Happy Spring break to all of my fellow students. And to any of you who might happen to be in University/ college, good luck on all your exams! (I'm sure you studied though, and won't need it). I'll see you in May! Now, I'm off to write an essay on… something. I haven't decided yet! ^-^


	9. Preparation

A/n: Well, as always, I'm sorry about the wait between the chapters. It's been busy, since my final year of high school is drawing to a close. (I'm both excited and sad). Between homework and reconnecting with old friends, I haven't had much time to write. There may not be a chapter next month, since I have my Math Placement tests in early June, then I have my exams, but LFH will resume in July. 

In other news… I GOT ACCEPTED TO PHYSICS CAMP! For two weeks in August, I get to study the latest theories in Theoretical physics, and I'm EXSTATIC.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter, enjoy the changing seasons, enjoy the world.

See you again in July!

~Snekochan

I don't own Chrono Crusade

_Cases, cases and cases. Was she supposed to go back to work tomorrow? Like nothing had changed? And what was the point? "Let people into here- why'd I want to do that? Let them come and take Heaven! We'd be better off!" Still growling, she flicked on the light, sweeping the papers into thick piles._

_"You know; if you just shove the papers around like that, you're just going to make more work for Amelia, and she really won't like that." Rosette swore, her hands instantly swooping to her hip for a gun that hadn't been there in fifty years. The light in the kitchen came on and Godren smiled tersely at her, leaning against the cupboards and twirling a small key on a leather string around one pale finger._

Chapter 9: Preparation

"What the hell are you doing here." The papers in her hands crinkled as her fingers curled. It wasn't the papers they wanted to be tearing. The snowy winged angel sighed, sweeping her ebony bangs from her eyes and dropping on to the counter.

"You didn't come to see me in my office." Godren chided, tucking the little key into the sash of her dress- red now. Her battle colours.

Rosette crossed her arms. "Evidently, I didn't have to." Where had she gotten that key anyway? "What do you want." Godren folded her hands on her lap, straightening her shoulders. Rosette grit her teeth, never looking away from the angel's perplexed eyes.

"Rosette-" Heaven's mayor slumped, rubbing her temples. Rosette hesitated, recognising the start of her frien- ex-friend's- migraines. "Can you try…"

"Try to what?" Rosette stalked to the window, squashing the bubble of concern as she looked out to the wall. "To _Understand?_" She lay her hand on the slim box of letters, replacing her normal ache with a burn.

"To fight, dammit!" Godren leapt up, raking her hands through her hair, ripping it from its immaculate braid. "Damn it Rosette! I know- you think I don't know? - I know you hate it here! I know why! I of anyone here know why! But you're not the only person here who's been separated from the one they love!

"Do you think that letting the Hellions overrun Heaven will let you get to spend time with Chrono? Do you really? Because once they get here, Rosette, Delacroix and his army aren't going to leave a single angel standing. Every one of us Winged Ones will be slaughtered- is that what you want? Kate? Remington? Cam? The little ones who play hopscotch on the roof of this apartment?"

"No-"

"And what about Chrono, Uma and the others?" Godren strode from the kitchen, her wings billowing; albino thunderclouds. "What do you think is going to happen if Delacroix and the others win, if they take over heaven?" Godren leaned in close, her eyes blazing slits of green. "What do you think will happen if they're caught acting as spies?" Rosette felt her throat tighten and swallowed; her heart pounding. Godren took a step back and turned away, smoothing the silk of her skirts, her knuckles white as they clenched the material. "They'll be destroyed, Rosette, and there's no afterlife for the dead. There're no letters from non-existence. There's only nothing. Absence. If they saw you and Chrono passing letters back and forth or if they catch him snooping around, knowing what they do about his relationship to you and yours to me, they will eradicate him. They won't even hesitate."

"And him sending letters to Sister Kate won't be any more suspicious?"

"As long as they don't catch him with the letters, they won't know it's from him- after all, he and Kate were never on good terms. Uma only met you today. Marty, Ewan- none of the pairs are people know worked together before, with the exception of Chrono and Kate, and there really isn't anything about that I can do- he's our best bet." Godren padded to the bed, then back to the counter, flexing her fingers. "Or he's half of it." Godren smiled at her, but she didn't smile back.

"What, you're using my emotions?"

"His, actually, but we're counting on you too." The angel said brusquely. "We can't just sit down and wait for the Rebirth to strike. And we can't just sit any wait for our correspondents to gather information. We need an army, and we need plans, we need equipment, we need cooperation if we're going to survive. Rosette, you know that." Rosette dropped her head back against the cool window pane, squinting as light slowly began trickling around her with a new sunrise. Morning already. Where had the night gone? Godren took a deep breathe, her hand on the door knob.

"Rosette, I can't promise anything. No one can promise anything about the outcome of this or anything else, but…" Rosette felt her heart give a kick and she squashed the treadle of hope when she saw the woman's set face. "I need your support in this, Rosette. I want you and Remington to go find Elder." She waved a piece of paper. "This is his address. He's been working on our armaments."

"You mean… guns?"

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"Are you sure this is the right way?" Rosette scowled at Ewan as they swooped around the shoulder of the library and down Eyrie Avenue, dodging angels weighted down with glossy brief cases, steaming loaves of thick brown bread and cups of steaming coffee, fresh from Marianne's Bakery. Rosette's stomach growled, but she hushed it as they passed the line up stretching down the pier.

"Godren said it was somewhere on Cypress Passage, and this is the fastest way to get there!" she yelled, her hair blowing in her eyes. "He's got his own building for a lab- probably for the safety of the women in Heaven." She muttered the last part, but Ewan laughed.

"Probably best." He agreed; smiling at a pair hazel winged women. They giggled, and Rosette glowered at the other angel, rolling her eyes.

"Flirt." She growled, and glanced at a pole stretching up into the blue, blue chasm above them to read the signs pointing in all directions. Eyrie Avenue, Cypress Passage, Sweet Will Rd. If Ewan heard her, he gave no indication, smiling and waving at some other angel from his building. "Will you _focus!_" Honestly- how could Kate put up with him? Or did she? Rosette wondered if the woman had ever actually told Ewan-

"Rosette, there it is!" They lit on a white stone pier before a large, white walled building. The walls, like most walls in the area, stretched high above their heads, gathering skirts of shadows far below at their bases. Rosette bent to read the small plaque on the door.

_Edward P. Hamilton_

_Inventor_

The door was plain wood, with no ornamentation- and no doorknob.

"I'm guessing he doesn't get many visitors." Ewan pushed on the door, frowning when it didn't open. "There ought to be a door bell around here-"

Rosette scowled.

"We don't have time for this!" The Rebirth could be finding out about Chrono and the others any time! They had an army to build!

"ELDER!!" she pounded on the door. "OPEN UP RIGHT NOW!"

"Rosette!!" With a metallic clang that sent both Angels covering their ears, the door swung inwards, ringing off the stones of the black hallway.

"Elder!" Rosette strode into the dark corridor, Ewan at her heels, jolting as the door silently shut behind them.

"Well, well, well- it seems some things haven't changed in the slightest;" The pair cast around as Elder's voice echoed around them. "You're still wearing bloomers, Rosette? I'd think a soul lawyer would have changed to something sexier." Rosette leapt back, crashing into Ewan as Elder stuck his head from under a grating n the floor.

"You PERVET!"

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	10. Normalcy

A/N: Happy Summer! (I seem to spend an awful lot of time referencing the season in these author's notes, but I'm enjoying our unusual summer, here on the Rock, since it's been warmer and earlier than usual.) I'm finished my final finals of high school, and I think I'm going to bawl. Going to a small school like I did, you know most of the teachers pretty well, so going to university is going to be a bit of culture shock. But I cannot wait. ^-^ However, that's summer away. (Although that isn't really that long), so I'll try to get this story as far along as possible.

For anyone who wants to read them, (and this is why this chapter was delayed and why it's so short), I've posted a new comic series on a blog. The comic is called My Whole Life is an Awkward Situation, and can be found on .. Please let me know what you think: I'm trying to make a decision, and feedback is much needed!

Letters from Hell

Chapter 10: Normalcy

"Damn him! Lemme go Ivan! I can take that bloody bastard!"

"Will you lot move it?" Chrono dropped his head against the shadow of the elevator's wall as Lucky slammed the cage door shut behind them and they began to descend, down and down, _away, away._ He swallowed.

"You think you're so tough!" Marty howled, freeing one arm from Ivan's grasp to bang on the bars as they dropped; a metal wall slamming shut behind them, blocking the sight of a golden winged girl racing to the shaft. He blinked hard, slumping, salt burning his eyes.

Rosette…

"Marty give up, you idiot!" Uma growled from the corner behind Ivan where she'd been wedged. "You wouldn't stand a chance fighting up there- all that stupid angel had to do was haul off your cloak and you'd be toast."

"Ashes, actually." Lucky shrugged with a grin. "They don't want to take any chances with demon's infiltrating their pristine city."

"Ya think?" Marty finally wriggled out of Ivan's grasp, swearing as his head cracked off the floor. "They seem real happy for our help too. _"__I'm going to need a lot of air fresheners to get rid of your stench."_ Bastard."

"They're angels. They don't like those of us who tread in the dirt. Can't stand getting their clothes dirty."

Chrono opened one eye, watching the red-robed guard lazily brush a stray hair under his cap, leaning against the grate. The whirr of the elevator slowed. Somewhere, far too close, he could hear the low rumble of feet in narrow passage ways, the high whine of the Breath. He shut his eyes, the ache resuming in his temples.

_Two pairs of feet stopped before him, a pair of worn leather loafers and a pair of black, high heeled shoes; two scents he recognized, but the sky was too bright to see them clearly; he had to squint at their shadows._

"_Chrono." They knew him?_

"_Please, sir, miss," he couldn't remember their names. It all seemed so grainy; hazy memories, so far away. "Would you take this?" He shoved the letter towards them, pain searing through him as the light touched his singed hand, his foot. The gong was ringing, below, calling him back, not that he wasn't trouble anyway. The voices of the guards rose to shouts. "Please deliver this!" he jumped up, a familiar rattling of chains harassing his ears. "Please deliver this!" Somewhere beyond the light overwhelming his eyes, the gates to Heaven would be closing soon, and then they would be cast down with him. "Hurry- you won't- you-" The Chains of the Damned swooped around him, cold metal on his chest, his arms, his legs, a web of ice and rage, dragging him back into frozen non-existence, and he offered no fight- he was so tired… the darkness…._

_He'd delivered the letter, despite that… Hands grabbed him by the neck, the collar, shoving him against a cold stone wall. He blinked: a shadow red and dark...green cat eyes… horns? Why did a Heaven's Guard have horns? "I've got him!"_

His eyes snapped open again, dilating in the shadows of the elevator, his breath jolting in his chest as he stared at Lucky.

"How is it you can go to Heaven?" His voice was a raspy as it had been in Heaven, although he didn't flinch at the sound as it reverberated in the narrow passage. The others turned to him, their hidden faces questioning. Lucky narrowed his eyes, his hand half-rising to the red cap again.

"I'm one of the Guard." He snorted. "I'm from Heaven." The door of the elevator swooped open and the Hellions jolted, stumbling out through the closet into Lucky's office. Chrono clamped his mouth shut as his stomach heaved, the dull, copper smell of blood, ice and sweat rolling over his senses, down the back of his throat. His ears folded back, the wind rising in them again from beyond the door. Shuddering, he shed the cloak and hung it on the hanger Uma stuffed into his hand, replacing it in the closet. Slowly, he turned, pulling off the halo and laying it on Lucky's desk with the others. Calmly, the guard scooped the tinkling pile into a rough, burlap bag and tucked it into the top drawer of the desk, locking it shut with a tiny, silver key. Chrono winced as the dark haired angel caught his eye.

"I'll approach each of you with your assignments as soon as I can move you to your correct department." Lucky strode over to the door, his boots clacking as he put his hand on the handle. "For now, return to your normal positions and do nothing out of the ordinary. Keep your ears and eyes open for any information, no matter how insignificant and do not speak of this meeting, even amongst yourselves. Delacroix has spies everywhere." For a moment, none of them moved. Then, silently, the Heaven's Horn headed for the screaming hallway, flinching as the sound rose up again around then, worse again after the respite, already a faded dream. Chrono squared his shoulders, trying not to wrinkle his nose as he stepped onto the rough stone.

Lucky's arm dropped in from of him, halting him mid-step. For a moment, the Guard looked at him, eyes like a cat's in their luminosity. Chrono glared back, noting the oblong shape of the other man's pupils.

"You should watch your tongue. And keep your ears open this time." there was a step further down the corridor and Lucky stiffened, shoving him out of the office so hard the demon landed on his knees on the ice, skidding into the cold rock of the wall with a thud.

"Get out of my sight!" David, the Guard who had addressed Lucky before they left- was it only four hours ago- frowned at him before entering the office. Lurching onto trembling legs, Chrono gave a final glance over his shoulder before stumbling down the corridor to the nearest drive, his ears echoing and chest burning from a pair of ghost arms wrapped around him.

He snorted.

Angels seemed to enjoy their games, didn't they?

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"Well, it's certainly been awhile, hasn't it?" Elder chucked; rubbing his swollen cheek. "I certainly missed you, Rosette. You should've come to visit! And Ewan- I wasn't aware that you'd joined us. Kate as well?" Rosette snorted, glaring at the inventor. Like Kate and Remington, he had reverted to a younger version of himself, appearing to be in his late 30s.

"I didn't think they let perverts into Heaven." She muttered, smacking him over the head again as he made another pass for her rear.

"Well, you know, since the codes have been relaxed… plus, there're so many fine women here!"

Ewan shook his head. "Kate's here too, yes. You haven't changed a bit Edward."

"I've been too busy the change!" Elder cracked his knuckles, his brown eyes flashing behind a newer pair of goggles than the ones he'd had on earth. "Godren's had me plugging away in preparation for this for many years now. In secret, naturally. We didn't want to incur any panic." He paused, pressing his thumb to a scanner and adjusting a dial on a side panel. With a low hiss, two layers of metal doors pulled back.

Her neck prickled, and for a moment she prepared to see a wall of legion towering above her, a figure drenched in blood. Instead, they passed from the hall into a lab, and the chill of memory passed. Rosette shook her head to clear it.

The room was the size of a football field, and looking up, had to be two stories high. Work benches stretched in rows across its length, stopping only when they reached one of the enormous warehouse shelves that ran to the bald lights and slow drone of the ceiling fans. Ewan whistled, gazing around at the ranks of cardboard and steel boxes and crates overflowing with tools, light bulbs, tubing, scrap metal and insulation. Scattered amongst the boxes, machines of all sizes hunched, some shining, others spewing various cables, wires and abrupt glimpses of internal panels. Elder waved a blocky hand at the room.

"Miss Godren didn't want to risk any spies snooping about, nor any attention drawn to this. A bit of a step up after the Order, wouldn't you say, Ewan? Materials are hard to come by though, and most of what we needed on earth is useless here- Now this! I'm proud of this one. Detects the change air motion caused by wings- useless? It can even tell if it's feathered or scaled." Elder dropped the small box with its blinking screen back onto the table, strolling between the rows. Rosette raised an eyebrow, reaching for a pink stuffed rabbit lying on one workstation. Elder grabbed her hand.

"I wouldn't touch that." He pointed to a series of wires running to the little animal with a grin. "It's my 'Baby Bomb'. Ah, here we are!" They stopped at a bench and Elder beamed, holding up the gun. Rosette whistled.

"A new version of the Gospel, far more powerful, mind you, although I don't think we'll need it here- most of the demon's we'll be facing are low levels." Rosette frowned, taking the gun and turning it over to test its balance. The cool body seemed to slow her blood, settling sweetly against her palm.

"This is all you have?" she rubbed the dull side.

Elder cackled. "Why Rosette, you seem a little disappointed!"

"Underestimation never saved anyone." Rosette muttered, setting the gun down on the table.

"Indeed." Elder smirked. "Good to see the soft life hasn't diminished your tactics." Rosette snorted.

"How many of these do you have?" Ewan asked, eyeing the blue-steel line on the table. Rosette flicked her braid over her shoulder, frowning as she counted. There were only ten or so there.

"Of the Gospels? I've thousands of the bullets. We don't need many guns. As far as I know, Godren just wants a few, very able Angels to handle this, so I believe we have enough." His eyes flicked to them. "Besides, it's bound to look suspicious if huge numbers of people start carrying weapons in Heaven, would it not?" Rosette picked up another of the guns, weighing it in her hand as she had the last one, her ears buzzing with the fans above her. Would the Heaven's Horn be equipped too?

"What do the Heaven's Guard use?" Unlike the Hellions, who although angry were mostly untrained, exhausted and weak from years in, well, Hell, the Guard- their own- were well rested, since they alternated fairly regularly. She pursed her lips, thinking of all the Red Clothed angels roaming around the city. Which of them were with Delacroix?

"Nothing so powerful, believe me. And nothing with firing power. Mostly swords, since it's too dangerous to use guns in the tunnels below."

"Just swords?" Rosette leaned against the next table, running her fingers back and forth across the smooth metal. "Why are we using guns then? If we're going into the tunnels, won't we run into the same problems?"

"We may as well go sit down." Elder pointed to another door at the end of the lab. "And we have a full armament of swords, knives and the like." His lips stretched and he cackled. "These are just for an added punch when necessary."

"Do you think it will be necessary?" Rosette jumped at Ewan's voice, forgetting the former priest was there. Elder set his jaw, punching in another code to open the next door, silently leading them into a musty sitting room- infinitesimally cramped after the expanse of the lab- and shoving more boxes of old blueprints, spare pieces of scrap metal, ragged journals, wires and porn magazines to the floor.

"It depends." Elder pulled at his beard, gazing at the unintelligible marks scrawled across the wall-length black board. Suddenly he frowned, calculations from around a drawing of what looked like a lolly pop and muttering about field permeability.

"It depends?" Rosette prompted. Elder jolted, his brow wrinkling.

"Oh. Yes, of course. It depends on-" he stopped, looking again at the chalk board, then shaking his head. "How quickly we staunch Delacroix and his supporters. Now, here you are!" Rosette yelped as a thick black box was dropped into her hands.

"Hey!"

"Godren will probably be expecting you back soon, or be waiting for the damages report. That's her first batch, and tell her to let me know if they're what she's looking for! My assistant-" Elder beamed. "A pretty girl- will be here shortly. I'll send her over with the rest later."

"What?" Rosette sputtered, straining under the box until Ewan took it from her with a grunt. Elder ignored them, turning to the chalkboard again and resuming his scribbling.

"Elder!!" Rosette barked; smacking him over the head- there had to be more to it then that!!

"I'm here!" the door flew open and a bouncing blur whooshed in. "Sorry I'm late Elder- oh- Hey Rosette! He's at his board- he won't listen to you while he's at that- he's been trying to figure it out for weeks, but he won't listen when I tell him- oh, should I work on these today? I think I was supposed to, and I didn't mean to be late, but I had to pick up snacks…" Rosette staggered, her stomach dropping to the basement, her knees wobbling as the blur paused, her tail poking into the air as she delved into one of the boxes, pulling out some papers.

"Wha…" Beside her, Ewan's face must have mirrored her own bewilderment as the cat-eared woman finally caught Elder's attention, her glasses slipping precariously low on her nose.

"Shader, you're late!"

Rosette's throat closed, her legs wobbling.

Was every demon but Chrono allowed in Heaven?

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A/N: I'm sorry this chapter was so late coming, and that it's short. It's been kind of hard to write anything, because… well, life's gone crazy, yet again, as I'm preparing for camp… and for my first semester of university, which, to quote my best friend (a year ahead of me) looks like it will be "brutal".

I'm so excited!! :D Still, I hope to post a new chapter before I leave in August (hopefully!!)

Thanks for reading!!


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